Paradox: The Power of Letting Go
by Sayuriko
Summary: *complete* Five years ago, Kagome Higurashi moved away and left the only man she had ever loved. Now that she's back working for the Takahashi Group, can she find love again? A story about love lost, love found and the power of letting go. InuYasha/Kagome
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: InuYasha is owned by Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan Inc. and Viz Media. Story and all original characters created are owned by me.

**Prologue: Letting Go**

-x-x-x-x-

_**  
Feudal**_ _**Era**_**:** _**Eight**_ _**years**_ _**after**_ _**the**_ _**defeat**_ _**of**_ _**Naraku  
**_

"Oh, Kagome, what a pretty ring!" Sango lifted up Kagome's hand, examining the metal band on her friend's finger. The three jewels nestled between a cluster of diamonds were sparkling red from the glowing embers of the fire.

A movement at the doorway went unnoticed by both girls because they were so caught up in the moment of examining the pretty bauble.

Kagome flexed her fingers, her eyes sparkling as much as the stone. She smiled widely at her friend. "It's an engagement ring."

"Engagement ring?"

"It means that I'm getting married."

Sango couldn't contain the stunned expression on her face. "Married…?"

Kagome beamed, oblivious to the fact that she and Sango were no longer alone in the hut. "Yes, I'm marrying the man of my dreams. I'm so excited."

A loud gasp from the doorway made Kagome whirl around and face a shocked looking Miroku. She caught a swirl of red and silver as the bamboo mat fell back into place.

Miroku composed his features and stepped forward. "Kagome, you're getting married?"

"Yes, Miroku. I guess you heard?" Kagome looked anxiously around Miroku's shoulders. "I… um… InuYasha… I should go explain…" Kagome brushed past Miroku, but his hand shot out to stop her.

"Let him calm down. From the look on his face, I'd say he was in shock at your news and, quite honestly, so am I. He's been waiting for you…" Miroku trailed off, a slight disapproving look on his face.

"No, Miroku, it's… it's not like that. You don't understand…" Kagome's eyes shone bright with unshed tears.

Sango stepped up beside her friend and put a supporting arm around her. "Miroku, Kagome cannot help who she falls in love with. You are in love, are you not, Kagome?" She shot her friend a questioning look.

Hurt blossomed up Kagome's chest at her friend's inquisition. "Yes! Of course, I am. He's the love of my life!"

Sango softened her features as she noticed Kagome's discomfort. "I'm sorry, Kagome. I didn't mean it like that. It's true that InuYasha has been waiting for you, almost pining for you. It's been five years…" Sango didn't want to continue hurting her friend with the way the discussion was going, but Kagome had to know the truth.

"Oh, Sango, Miroku, it's not like that!"

Miroku's interest was piqued. "What do you mean?"

"It's just so complicated!" Kagome gave into her tears as she broke down and sobbed.

Sango shot Miroku a distressed look. The monk heaved a sigh and gestured towards the fire and mat. Sango caught his gesture and nodded as she steered the distraught girl towards the center of the hut. She pulled Kagome down beside the fire as she prepared to boil some water for tea.

Miroku sat down on the other side of Kagome and waited until the girl's sobs subsided. As soon as her cries became mere hiccups, Miroku began to speak, "Kagome, we don't mean to upset you, but maybe it's better if you explained why it's so complicated?"

Kagome clutched her head and squeezed her eyes shut, distraught at the thought of the hurt hanyou. "I have to talk to InuYasha. I have to make him understand!"

Miroku simply shook his head. "I think it's best to let InuYasha calm down. Knowing him, he's off fighting a few trees."

"All the more reason I should go to him!" protested Kagome as she started to move up off of the floor.

A hand on her shoulder gently but firmly pushed her down. Kagome shot a questioning look at Miroku.

The monk's face was solemn and firm. "Let him go."

Those three simple words shot an arrow through Kagome's heart. Looking down at her clenched hands, Kagome softly confessed, "I already have."

Miroku raised an eyebrow and let the remark slide. Kagome would tell him and Sango when she was ready. "We are still your friends, Kagome. You can confide in us, and we will support you, no matter what."

Sango nodded her agreement and poured hot tea for the three of them before sitting down beside her grief stricken friend.

Kagome grasped her cup tightly as if seeking the warmth and comfort from the brew. Taking a deep breath she looked at her friends, not quite sure where to begin.

-x-x-x-x-

A few hours and many cups of tea later, Kagome emerged from the hut. She was drained and confused, and her eyes were red and puffy from all of the tears that she had shed for InuYasha, her friends, and herself.

After she explained why she had been absent for the last five years, her friends offered their sympathies for her plight and her heartbreaking choice. They were at a loss at what to say. In the end, they said nothing. They simply sat by the fire giving her their unconditional love and support

Kagome took comfort in the knowledge that her friends knew her secret, even though they could do nothing to help her. That they knew the truth gave her the strength to continue her course.

After a while, Miroku and Sango updated Kagome on their life in the slayers' village and regaled her with tales of their growing brood. Soon the talk turned to old times as they reminisced on past adventures. Although it was left unspoken, they all knew it wasn't just InuYasha she was saying good-bye to — it was the Feudal era, to all of them. Once she was back in her own time, Kagome would never cross the well again.

As daylight faded to dusk outside, Kagome said her farewells to Sango and Miroku. Sango clung on and cried at losing her best friend, not caring about the fact that she had not seen her in the last five years. The finality of Kagome's departure was almost too much to bear.

Miroku simply looked at her sadly and pulled her to his chest, whispering softly in her ear. Kagome returned the hug, nodding at his request.

She had already said good-bye to Shippo the previous day, before he left to go to the Kitsune Temple. It was hard to say good-bye to the little kitsune cub that she had raised, but she hadn't seen him for five years and, in that time, he had grown up. With InuYasha, Sango and Miroku's help, he had made a life for himself without her. They all had. They had let her go five years ago. Now, it was time to do the same. She had to let her friends go.

She had to say one more good-bye before she left — the hardest one yet. Rubbing her tired eyes, she heaved her backpack onto her shoulder and wearily started off towards the Goshinboku tree in search of InuYasha.

-x-x-x-x-

He sat in the tree staring off into the distance, her words echoing in his numbed mind… _I_'_m_ _marrying_ _the_ _man_ _of_ _my_ _dreams_… _I_'_m_ _so_ _excited_ … With each replay, the knife thrust harder into his heart until it was bled dry.

His troubled thoughts turned to the past week as events replayed themselves over in his mind.

When Kagome showed up in the Feudal era a week ago, the first person she saw was InuYasha. On that day, for some unexplainable reason, he was drawn to the Goshinboku tree. Now, he knew why. When he saw the familiar hand reach up out of the well and he smelled her sweet scent, it was as if time stood still. He raced to the well and helped her out. He was elated to see her again. Then reality came crashing down as he remembered the last time he went to her time.

At first they were shy around each other, not sure what to say or do. After all, it had been five years since she had left and, quite frankly, they did not part on the best of terms. After she hesitantly told him why she was back, he pounced on the notion of helping her. He escorted her to the slayers' village where Sango and Miroku had settled down.

On their journey there, they tiptoed around each other, carefully treading on the shaky foundation of their friendship. He was unsure how to bridge the widened gap between them, but then Kagome offered an olive branch, and InuYasha hesitantly took it.

By the time they reached the slayers' village, the ice had melted and Kagome and InuYasha's relationship, while still fragile and unsteady, had eased into a comfortable companionship of old.

Sango, Miroku and Shippo were ecstatic at seeing their friend and had enthusiastically agreed to help when she briefed them on the reason for her return.

A week of traveling with Kagome by his side made InuYasha feel alive again. Joking, laughing and teasing, the group had fallen back to their old camaraderie of years past when they were hunting down Naraku. Sure, it didn't matter that they were all eight years older, or the fact that Miroku and Sango were now married and had a family together, or that Shippo was almost as tall as Kagome. InuYasha could close his eyes and envision how they all used to be in the days before the separation. With only the six of them — Kirara had joined them as well — it was easy to live that fantasy.

Now, she had done what she had come back to do, and InuYasha was going to lose her all over again. He closed his eyes and breathed through his mouth as the pain in his chest constricted.

A sudden movement caught his attention before her sweet scent was carried up to him.

"InuYasha…" Kagome's soft voice called out

InuYasha pressed himself closer to the branches. If he didn't come down, then she couldn't say good-bye, then she couldn't really go, could she?

When he didn't answer, she begged him to come down.

When the scent of fresh tears hit his nose, he silently cursed and dropped down beside her.

Crouched in front of her, he looked at the woman standing silently watching him, her eyes red and swollen. This was the woman whom he loved with all his heart. He would do anything for her — anything.

She reluctantly explained why she had to go, her voice breaking up. It was hard to catch her words in between the sobs and hiccups. She faltered when she said that she was going to get married.

He stared at her with disbelief and betrayal. _She_ _was_ _in_ _love_ _with_ _another_ _man_. His numb mind could not process the fact that she had no intention of ever coming back. She was leaving him _again_.

Kagome slowly approached him. When he did not move away, she hesitantly put her arms around his waist and hugged him with all her might.

He clutched at her, squeezing her body to his, holding onto her as if she was a lifeline and he was a sinking ship. Somehow, his lips found hers and he kissed her with unrestrained force, unleashing all the betrayed passion in his soul.

Kagome feverishly kissed him back, all rational thought flown from her mind. _InuYasha_… _this_ _was_ _her_ _hanyou_, _the_ _one_ _that_ _she_ _loved_. _And_ _she_ _had_ _to_ _leave_ _him_…

Gasping as she pulled to the surface of reality, she pushed him away, shaking her head. "No… No, I can't do this." Her voice shook with wretched emotion. "I have to go…" She tentatively took a step back, then another and another, until she was running, running to the well, away from the man she loved.

InuYasha stood in shocked silence, his body frozen and his feet betraying him as he watched her approach the well.

He stared at her with desperation lacing his eyes. His voice was harsh and low when he begged, "Kagome, don't go…"

Kagome paused with her back turned to the hanyou. Her head was hung low and her breath came out in ragged rasps. She dared not to look up — look at the pain etched in InuYasha's face.

Miroku's words suddenly came back to her; the words he whispered reassuringly in her ear before he let her go, "Don't worry, Kagome. We'll take care of him for you. Live and be happy."

"InuYasha… you have to…" Kagome swallowed audibly. "You have to let me go."

With that, she jumped into the well.


	2. What Things Are

Disclaimer: InuYasha is owned by Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan Inc. and Viz Media. Story and all original characters created are owned by me.

**  
Chapter 1: What Things Are**

-x-x-x-x-

"_InuYasha_… _you_ _have_ _to_…" _Kagome_ _swallowed_ _audibly_. "_You_ _have_ _to_ _let_ _me_ _go_."

_With_ _that_, _she_ _jumped_ _into_ _the_ _well_.

-x-x-x-x-

_**One**_ _**Month**_ _**Earlier  
**_

Kagome Higurashi leaned her head back and sighed. The pilot had just announced that they would soon be making their descent.

The seat next to her shifted as a body dropped down beside her. "You should buckle up. It's time to land."

Opening her eyes and turning towards her companion, Kagome smiled and complied, taking the lap belt and fastening it. Stifling a yawn, Kagome stretched her arms and arched like a cat before slumping back against the seat. "I still don't understand why we have to come all the way back," she complained to her friend.

Kazuki Matsumoto looked at the woman beside him and grinned. "We're here because we were summoned, and we do what we're told."

A disgruntled look settled on the girl's features. "So that we can continue to get the funding."

"Yup, and we'll just go in there, smile, explain our findings, and go home."

Kagome threw her hands up dejectedly. "How can you be so happy_, _Kaz? We've worked so hard for the past five years. We're almost there with our research. We can't stop now. One phone call and we're on a plane to a meeting with owners who have never shown any interest before. If we say the wrong thing they'll cut our funding. All of our efforts and time will have been wasted!"

"Oh, Kags, it's not so bad. We've been lucky flying under the radar for so long. We do good work and it's about time somebody noticed. Besides, it's been a while since you've come back. Don't you want to see your family?"

"You're right. It's been too long since I've seen Mama and Sota." Kagome sighed, thinking back to the last time she had come back to Japan. It had been for Jii-Chan's funeral ten months earlier after the old priest died peacefully in his sleep. She stayed for only two days before she headed back to Alberta.

Lost in her memories, Kagome stared out the window at the passing clouds, her emotions dropping to match the altitude of the descending aircraft.

Sensing the change in her mood, Kazuki put his arm around his friend and hugged her. "It'll be okay, you'll see. We go in and talk to the bigwigs. You get to visit your family, and we'll be back in our lab in no time. Sounds like a plan, eh?"

Kagome smiled at her friend. He may be Japanese by heritage but being born and raised in the Rockies, he sounded all too Canadian with his speech and mannerisms.

The rest of the descent passed in comfortable silence, and the pair quickly went through customs. As they were collecting their baggage they were greeted by Mitsuru Sato, a representative of the Takahashi Group, before being ushered out to the waiting Mercedes Benz limousine parked outside. Mitsuru loaded their luggage into the trunk of the white car and proceeded to get into the driver's seat while Kagome and Kazuki settled into the back.

As they sped their way towards the city center, Mitsuru filled them in on the itinerary that was scheduled for them. They would have the remainder of the weekend to rest up before officially meeting the heads of the Takahashi Group on Monday. Misturu would be their official guide and driver, and he would be at their disposal during their stay in Japan.

Normally Kagome would stay at the Shrine, but having to be at the Takahashi Group headquarters early Monday morning made commuting more of a hassle than it was worth. Besides, she knew that she might have some late nights and didn't want to inconvenience her mother. Deep down, without anyone to have to defend her actions to, she knew it was much too painful to stay at the shrine for long periods. The place just held too many memories for her. Every time she was there she saw _him_ in every room, in every corner, in every tree. She couldn't even step inside her old room without being buried in memories.

Leaning back in the limousine, Kagome watched the landscape speed past and sighed. For better or for worse, she was finally home.

-x-x-x-x-

Mitsuru checked them into the hotel and, after reassurances from his guests that they would be all right, he left them to rest.

_Well_, _the_ _Takahashi_ _Group_ _spared_ _no_ _expense_, Kagome thought as she looked around her spacious suite. It was tastefully decorated with rich hues of cream and burgundy and accented with mahogany and glass furniture.

On one side of the room there was a sizable sitting area with wide windows displaying an unobstructed view of the city's skyline. A kidney shaped glass table and a contemporary leather sofa, along with a matching love seat, sat facing a flat panel television attached to the wall. A white laptop computer was hooked up beside a telephone and fax machine on the large mahogany desk in the other corner of the room. Walking over, Kagome noticed it was wired for high speed internet access. Opening up the top desk drawer, she saw it was stocked with various supplies of desk stationary.

Kagome carried her belongings through the doorway on the left. She assumed this led to the bedroom and was pleasantly surprised at the sight of the queen sized bed covered in an elegant goose down comforter set with four plush pillows set against the headrest. She placed her small carry-on bag on top of the dresser and heaved her luggage onto the rack beside it. She decided she would unpack her clothes into the adjoining armoire later.

Kagome looked longingly at the bed and was so tempted to jump right in and bury herself in the luscious bedding. Sighing before turning away, she went into the bathroom with her toiletries and set them down on the granite countertop.

She ran her fingers lightly over the marble soaker tub in the corner and silently thanked the kami for the eight spa jets placed throughout the sides of the enclosure. She turned the chrome faucets to start a bath. After checking to make sure the temperature was right, she headed back to the sitting room and opened the small bar fridge which hummed against the wall. Happy to see that it was well stocked with various snacks and drinks, Kagome pulled out an apple and a bottle of water.

She idly strode over to the window and looked out onto the darkening landscape. The sunset threw pink and orange hues across the sky as ripples of grey heralded the beginnings of night. Rolling her stiff shoulders to work the kinks out, she carried her snack and drink out onto the terrace. The scent of petunias made her nostrils flare as she glanced at the two flower pots hanging from the corners.

Padding lightly to the railing she leaned against the frame and bit into the apple. Chewing slowly she closed her eyes. Taking a couple of deep breaths, inhaling the sweet scent of the flowers, she felt some of the tension from the last couple of days drain away. Slowly sipping her water, Kagome thought back to the events leading up to where she was now.

She was twenty years old and had only one year left in completing her degree when she was approached by the Matsumoto Corporation to join their research team. She was at the top of her class, her intelligence shining through with all of her years of hard work. On the premise that she would be assisting in their various research projects, she was hired on part time. Juggling work and her schooling was a hectic but rewarding period for Kagome as she grabbed her new found job with an enthusiasm and passion that surprised even her. She caught the eye of the company's top management team with her relentless eagerness to learn and her instinctive problem-solving abilities.

After a probationary period of six months, she was pulled into the office and got the shock of her life. Her boss and the company's founder, Takumi Matsumoto, revealed that he was in fact an inu-youkai and everyone employed by the company were youkai, hanyou or humans sympathetic to the youkai cause.

After the initial shock wore off, Kagome, in turn, surprised her boss when she stated that she was quite familiar with not only the workings of inu-hanyou, but of kitsune and wolves as well. She further shocked him when she demonstrated her miko powers that she had honed over the years. This coupled with the fact that she was quick thinking and had a natural diagnostic ability made her an even more valuable addition to their team than Takumi had first realized.

Takumi had originally planned for Kagome to be an assistant to his own son who was spearheading a new research project, but once he found out her amazing capabilities and her in-depth knowledge of the youkai world, Kagome's position was elevated to that of Co-Project Chair.

Kagome was flattered that he would offer her such an esteemed position and had tried to turn it down gently, explaining that she was not officially trained in such areas and that she had wanted to continue her studies. After all, she was only twenty years old, a human _and_ a female to boot. What could she possibly offer them that a highly trained and capable youkai couldn't?

Takumi insisted that she was the one he wanted and wouldn't take no for an answer. His gut instinct told him that she was perfect for the job and he made her an offer she couldn't refuse. He told Kagome that she could continue her studies while working for the Matsumoto Corporation. To sweeten the deal, he stated that the corporation would pay for all of her educational studies, including paying off her existing student debts. In addition, they would provide living expenses and a car allowance on top of the lofty salary. It was a very generous offer for a struggling college student. The only catch was that she would have to move to Canada where their main laboratory was located, and where the majority of their research was done.

Kagome balked at the idea and flatly refused at that point. There was no way she would move that far away, but once Takumi outlined the research she would be doing and why he thought she needed to be on the team, Kagome finally relented. It was a tough decision, possibly the hardest choice she had to make. With a prayer and a sigh, she accepted the job and sealed her fate.

Kagome was then introduced to Kazuki Matsumoto, Takumi's hanyou son, whom she would be partnered with in the research.

Together in their Alberta headquarters, they spent countless hours working in their laboratory with their loyal team of scientists. They became very successful in their research and had developed quite a reputation among the scientific youkai world. For five years, Kagome and Kazuki worked tirelessly side by side. In that time they became steadfast friends.

Initially, Kazuki expressed interest in becoming more than friends, but after his repeated advances kept getting shot down, he relented and backed off. Their friendship grew and Kagome looked up to him like an older brother, much to Kazuki's dismay.

Their research station was located just outside of the Kananaskis region in Alberta. Even though it was on Canadian soil, the corporation and the 750 acres of land it sat on belonged to the Japanese conglomerate known as The Takahashi Group. The Takahashi Group generally employed a hands-off approach to their research studies and allowed the Matsumoto Corporation to make most of the corporate decisions — until now.

Their newest project was affectionately dubbed, "Transformation Hanyou." They were very close in achieving their objective of allowing hanyous to appear human without losing their youki senses. In a modern world filled with superstitious humans, youkai developed the abilities to mask their appearances with concealment charms. Hanyou, being only half youkai, only had the ability to suppress their youki, thus turning them into their human counterparts. As the world evolved and more hanyou came into existence, the demand to provide a better concealment option was high. Hanyou wanted the ability to mask their appearances, like full-blooded youkai did, but not actually _turn_ human.

"Transformation Hanyou" was moved to the top of their priority list, and they concentrated all of their efforts on the project. They didn't have a solution yet. When it seemed like they were close to solving their problem, something always came up and thwarted them. Kagome knew the answer was close, so close that she could taste it. She just needed to figure out what the missing link was.

The past week was a blur with the flurry of packing and making sure the lab was secured before they left. Kagome and Kazuki barely had time to gather up their research materials before they boarded the plane.

At first, Kagome secretly seethed at the last minute call from the Takahashi Group requesting their presence in Japan. Who were they to make such high-handed orders after years of absolute silence? Being pulled away from their research to meet the demands of the owners seemed futile to Kagome, but she grudgingly gave in when Takumi told her that their future funding depended upon the Takahashi Group's goodwill.

The disgruntled feelings continued to gnaw at her. Her newest project was her baby. She poured all of her love and attention into it. She gave up everything for this job and not to be able to do it was galling and frustrating. _She_ _gave_ _up_ _everything_. She pushed the thought away. It hurt too much to rehash just how much she had sacrificed.

Kagome leaned against the railing and sighed. Cupping her cheek with one hand, she watched the city's twinkling lights come alive in the twilight. Dark shadows began to dance in their nocturnal playground.

"A penny for your thoughts."

Startled, she looked over at the adjoining balcony. "Make that twenty five million and you have a deal."

Kazuki laughed. "If I had twenty five mills, it'll be all yours, Kags." Kazuki's eyes twinkled with merriment as he continued teasing his colleague. "Seriously, what's the matter? You look like you're lost in thought. Are you still regretting turning me down?"

"I'm always thinking that, Kaz," retorted Kagome, laughing.

Kazuki smiled to himself. Kagome was always so serious that he teased her all the time to get her to loosen up. At times during their friendship, when she totally relaxed, he saw glimpses of how she must have been like when she was younger. Then as suddenly as her spontaneity occurred, her stoic, serious nature took over. So whenever he had the opportunity, he would tease her to make her smile. After all, someone so beautiful shouldn't be so serious all of the time at such a young age, even if their research was very exhausting and intense.

"I knew it. You just can't resist me. No wonder you have trouble concentrating in the lab. Just too busy checking me out."

Kagome laughed out loud at her friend. "Gee thanks, but I think that award goes to Amaya and Mura." Hanging around Kazuki for so many years, his slang rubbed off on her more than she would like to admit.

Kazuki spread his arms wide and grinned at her. "Okay, Kags, how come you look so forlorn? You can't have lost your best friend, I'm still here."

Kagome simply shook her head and chuckled before she turned to head back into her room. "While I do enjoy our little banters, it's time to say good night, Kaz."

"Hey, Kags, wait, where are you going? Are you just going to leave me here all by my lonesome?"

"Yes. I'm going to take a bath and go to sleep."

"What, you didn't sleep on that excruciating plane ride we had with that awful, wailing baby?"

"That baby wasn't awful — you are for saying that!" Kagome scolded him laughingly.

"But I'm hungry, Kags. Let's order something and watch a movie, okay?" begged Kazuki in an over-exaggerated pleading tone, his hands clasped under his chin as he batted his eyelashes at her.

"Oh, Kaz, you don't give up, do you?" Kagome sighed, but inwardly she smiled. She was spiraling towards a depressed state and, if she was honest with herself, she really didn't want to be alone tonight. But heaven forbid if she told Kazuki that. Give him an inch and he'll take a mile, but he was her friend and she loved him for it.

"Nope, never did. Never will."

"Okay. Let me have my bath first, and then you can come over. But," Kagome gave him a pointed look, "you have to bring food."

"You've got yourself a deal!" Kazuki called out as Kagome slipped back inside her room.

-x-x-x-x-

Kagome was tucking her pink t-shirt into a pair of grey sweatpants when she heard a knock at the door. Pulling her slightly damp hair into a ponytail she went to answer it.

Kazuki presented a pizza in front of Kagome with a flourish. "Room Service!"

"Pizza!"

"Yup, courtesy of a little pizza parlor I discovered around the corner. And it's not just any pizza, it's your favourite."

Kagome grabbed the box and practically ran to the sofa.

"Oh, Hawaiian!" Kagome squealed as she lifted up the lid and peered down at the pizza piled high with ham and pineapple. "How did you convince them to put pineapple on it?"

Kazuki gave her a dazzling smile. "Hey, darling, it wasn't hard to convince the girls at the counter. I just told them that's how we eat it in Canada."

Kagome took in his tousled jet black hair and his twinkling dark brown eyes. Kazuki was wearing a royal blue polo shirt which showed off his muscular frame and a pair of khaki cargo pants that hugged his slim hips.

"Humph." Kagome shook her head and grinned sarcastically at her friend. "I'll bet it wasn't too hard to convince the girls."

Kazuki ignored Kagome's jab. After all, it wasn't his fault that he was good-looking. He never had a problem attracting girls. The only problem was the girl that he wanted to attract made it very clear that she only wanted to be _friends_.

He flopped down beside Kagome and bit into a slice of pizza. He closed his eyes, savouring the taste. "Hmmm, that's good. I wasn't sure what I was going to eat in this place."

"You could try sushi."

Kazuki looked horrified at the thought. "What, raw fish?"

"It's good. You should try it."

"I have. I think I got worms from it."

Kagome giggled as she grabbed another slice of pizza. "Oh, Kaz, you did not!" Watching her friend blanch, Kagome insisted, "We really have to go for sushi before we head back to K Country."

"Anything for you, darling," purred Kazuki in a slow, sultry tone.

Kagome giggled and shook her head. It really was too bad that she wasn't attracted to Kazuki. He was a prime catch as her Canadian friends, Amaya and Mura, would like to say. Intelligent, good looking, witty, and sexy as hell, he was everything that a girl could ask for in a boyfriend. She knew from his ramblings that he wanted to settle down and have a family. Working for his father and meeting his mother and siblings on numerous occasions, Kagome knew they were a tight knit bunch and his loyalties knew no bounds. Once a friend, always a friend seemed to be his motto.

Even when she repeatedly turned down his advances, he simply shrugged and let it go, not bearing any grudges. Kagome still had the odd nagging suspicion that Kazuki would have pursued her if she gave him any encouragement, but she knew that he was too much of a gentlemen and a friend to overstep the boundaries unless she made the first move.

Kagome shook her head. _Here_'_s_ _this_ _great_ _guy_ _that_ _I_ _would_ _be_ _more_ _than_ _happy_ _with_ _and_ _I_ _can_'_t_ _even_ _let_ _go_ _of_ _my_ _past_. She was hopeless, but the wounds in her heart were still too raw and, until she could say good-bye, she couldn't move on.

"Hey, penny for your thoughts." Kazuki reached over to turn the television on, flipping through the channels to find the movie station.

"You already gave me your penny."

"Oh well, guess I'm broke now."

Kagome chuckled and leaned her head against Kaz's shoulder. She felt much better and was glad that she wasn't alone with her thoughts. Yes, Kaz was a good friend. He could always make her laugh, and that's what she needed right now to keep the depression at bay.

-x-x-x-x-

Kagome woke up early the next morning. For having only nine hours of sleep after a tiring international flight, she amazingly felt quite refreshed.

After taking a quick shower and brushing her teeth, she changed into a loose brown peasant skirt that reached just below her knees and a white cotton blouse. She pulled a light beige sweater over her shoulders in case the weather got cooler later.

She was leaning down to pick up her purse when a rapid knocking came on the door accompanied by a cheerful, almost too cheerful, sing song voice calling out. "Oh, good morning, sunshine!"

Grinning madly, Kagome opened the door to her friend. Trust Kazuki to wake up the whole floor with his boisterous behaviour.

"Hush, you'll wake everyone up," Kagome admonished laughingly as she shooed her friend into the room.

"Hey, it's 8'o clock already. Rise and shine!"

Shaking her head, Kagome slipped on a pair of brown sandals and grabbed Kazuki's arm. "Come on — I'm starving. What's for breakfast?"

"Pizza?"

"No."

"A nice juicy steak?"

Kagome stuck out her tongue and made a face, making Kabuki burst into laughter. "Definitely not."

"Okay, I'll settle for some pancakes and bacon."

"Now, that sounds like a plan," Kagome agreed, paraphrasing one of Kazuki's favourite expressions. "I think the restaurant downstairs serves western cuisine."

"Then let's go. What are we waiting for?" Kazuki practically dragged Kagome into the elevator.

Once they were on their way down, Kazuki turned to Kagome and asked, "What's on the agenda today? Wasn't it nice of the Takahashi Group to give us a day off?" He pulled out his copy of the itinerary and glanced at it.

"Kaz, it's Sunday. Even they don't work on a Sunday," Kagome said dryly.

"Really? And here I thought they would work us seven days a week if they could." Kazuki matched Kagome's dry tone with one of his own.

"I promised Mama that I would stop by the shrine today." Kagome bit her lower lip and looked away. "It's been a while since I've been home…"

"…and Mama's going to want an explanation on why you haven't, eh?" finished Kazuki.

Kagome smiled wanly at her friend. That was the problem with having such a close friend that knew your every mood. It was a curse and a blessing at the same time. "The last time I came back was for Jii-Chan's funeral and before that I only made it home a handful of times."

"Would you like me to come with you, Kagome?" Kazuki asked softly.

Kagome looked at Kazuki, a smile lighting up her face. "That would be nice. Mama would love to meet you. I've told her so much about you and our work over the years."

The elevator opened then and the pair stepped out in search of breakfast.


	3. Return to the Shrine

Disclaimer: InuYasha is owned by Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan Inc. and Viz Media. Story and all original characters created are owned by me.

**Chapter 2: Return to the Shrine**

-x-x-x-x-

_Kagome_ _looked_ _at_ _Kazuki_, _a_ _smile_ _lighting_ _up_ _her_ _face_. "_That_ _would_ _be_ _nice_. _Mama_ _would_ _love_ _to_ _meet_ _you_. _I_'_ve_ _told_ _her_ _so_ _much_ _about_ _you_ _and_ _our_ _work_ _over_ _the_ _years_."

_The_ _elevator_ _opened_ _then_ _and_ _the_ _pair_ _stepped_ _out_ _in_ _search_ _of_ _breakfast_.

-x-x-x-x-

Kagome stood at the top of the shrine steps, frozen in place. She was fine until she reached the top, then all of the years seemed to melt away, and she was twenty years old again, standing there feeling so young and uncertain.

Shrugging off these feelings, Kagome shook her head to clear away the cobwebs. Looking beside her, she felt a wave of relief that Kazuki was too busy perusing the shrine activities to have noticed her moment of indecision.

"Kagome!"

"Mama!" Kagome cried as she rushed to hug the older woman who appeared out of the side building.

"Oh, darling, welcome home. It's been too long," admonished Nori Higurashi lightly as she looked her daughter over. "You look wonderful, Kagome."

"So do you, Mama."

Mama looked over Kagome's shoulder at the young man standing slightly behind her daughter. She raised a questioning look at Kagome who quickly made the introductions.

"Mama, this is Kazuki Matsumoto, my co-worker and very good friend that I've told you about. Kaz, this is my mama, Nori Higurashi."

Nori smiled brightly and held out her hands. "It's so nice to finally meet you, Kazuki. Kagome's told me so much about you."

Kazuki winked as he took Nori's hands and kissed one lightly while bowing. "Nice things I hope, Mrs. Higurashi."

Blushing slightly, Nori smiled. "Of course, and please call me Nori."

Kazuki grinned at her, showing off his pearly white teeth. "Then please call me Kaz, as I'm known to my family and closest friends."

"Oh, Kaz, cut it out. Stop flirting with my mama," Kagome teased.

"Kagome!"

Kagome laughed as she tucked her mother's hand into the crook of her arm and led her towards the house. "Oh, Mama, I'm just teasing."

Looking around, Kagome noticed quite a few people walking around the shrine and remarked upon it.

"We've never been busier. It seems like more and more people are interested in historical sites and facts. We've gotten quite the following from the younger generation. It's just too bad that Jii-Chan is not around to see this. He would have loved it." Nori sighed.

Kagome stopped and with downcast eyes exhaled softly, "I'm sorry I'm not around more, Mama."

Nori squeezed Kagome's hand. "You have a job, a very important job, darling. Don't be sorry about that. Besides, with the increased funding we've received from our corporate sponsors, we have enough money to hire additional help. We've even added some storytelling programs over the weekends." Nori gestured towards a group of children sitting under the Goshinboku tree listening intently to a young woman dressed in white and red miko clothing.

Kagome stopped at the site of the miko outfit, so reminiscent of the outfit that Kikyo used to wear.

"Mama, do you mind if I go and listen?"

"No, of course not, darling. I have to go up and put some things away at the house. Come in when you're ready. I'll make us a nice pot of tea and then you can tell me what you've been up to. And you _are _staying for dinner. Both of you." Smiling, Nori patted Kagome's hand before moving away.

Once she was out of earshot, Kazuki leaned over and whispered in Kagome's ear, "Wow, your mom is cute. Now I know where you get it from."

Laughing, Kagome swatted at Kazuki's arm. "You are really a lecher, you know that, Kaz?"

"Yeah, but you love me."

Kagome gave an unladylike snort and headed towards the Goshinboku. She stopped behind the group of children and sat down on the grass, tucking her legs underneath her. Turning to her friend she whispered, "Now behave yourself and listen to the story."

Kazuki gave a mock salute before he sprawled down beside her, crossed his ankles and leaned back to listen.

"Everyone knows about the Shikon no Tama, but does anyone want to hear the _real_ story?"

As the group collectively raised their hands, the young interpreter smiled and leaned in conspiratorially. "Once upon a time, there was a young girl who lived in a shrine. On her fifteenth birthday, she fell down a well and found herself 500 years earlier in the Feudal era."

_What the…_ Kagome gave a jerk and leaned in intently, focusing on the girl.

"She was tied up and questioned for her strange clothing and behaviour in the village she stumbled upon. A centipede youkai entered the village seeking the Shikon no Tama. You see, the strange, foreign, time traveling girl was the keeper of the sacred jewel. Do you know where it was hidden?" The interpreter looked around the group and smiling at the wide-eyed children shaking their heads, she continued. "It was in her body."

A collective gasp went through the crowd.

"The youkai sensed its presence and chased the girl into the forest. There, she stumbled upon a half dog demon that had been spiritually pinned against the Goshinboku for fifty years."

Leaning back, the girl tapped the tree behind her. "This very tree behind me. See? You can still see where the arrow struck." She pointed to a dark spot on the tree trunk.

"Does anyone know who this hanyou was?"

"The great inu-hanyou, Inuyasha," cried a little girl.

Kagome sat frozen. She was in shock at hearing her story being told, yet she was too fascinated to move. Even though she lived it, she wanted to hear how this story would end.

"InuYasha," Kazuki mumbled under his breath.

Kagome looked sharply at her companion. "You know the story?"

"Well, yes. It's legend. My parents told me how the great hanyou defeated the dark evil named Naraku and in the process took back the sacred jewel," whispered Kazuki.

"Ahem." The interpreter glared at them. "Do you two want to hear the story?"

Blushing furiously, Kagome nodded and mumbled, "Sorry." Kazuki simply gave the girl his fifty watt, bright white smile.

Flustered by the handsome grinning male, the girl smiled brightly and continued, "As he said," she gestured towards Kazuki, "InuYasha saved the villagers from the evil hanyou, Naraku, but before that, the girl, in her naivety, broke the sacred jewel into a hundred pieces. The shards flew across the land causing destruction and fear. She was guilty of causing pain and suffering by her own stupidity…"

Kagome flinched at the insult to her integrity and steeled herself for the rest of the story.

"It was her responsibility to make things right, so she set out on a journey to repair the damage that she caused. She searched the land for the jewel shards with the hanyou that she had freed. She could sense the shards, and he could fight and protect her. They started out as traveling companions, and they ended up as friends. They met up with a monk, a demon slayer and a kitsune, and together they had many great adventures…"

Kagome closed her eyes as her throat constricted. The interpreter's voice flowed over her as she remembered. She was standing by the Goshinboku, but it was a different time; she was a different girl…

-x-x-x-x-

_**8**_ _**years**_ _**earlier**_

"_Kagome_…" _InuYasha_ _held_ _out_ _a_ _hand_ _helplessly_.

_Kagome_ _looked_ _away_, _not_ _knowing_ _how_ _to_ _say_ _good_-_bye_. _After_ _two_ _years_, _Naraku_ _was_ _finally_ _defeated_. _The_ _Shikon_ _no_ _Tama_ _was_ _completed_ _and_ _a_ _wish_ _was_ _made_ _to_ _send_ _Midoriko_ _and_ _the_ _jewel_ _to_ _eternal_ _rest_.

_She gave InuYasha a bright smile, belying the inner turmoil she was feeling. "InuYasha, thank you for helping me complete the Shikon No Tama and for protecting me all of these years. I… I couldn't have done it without you."_

_Kagome_ _bowed_ _formally_ _and_ _gave_ _a_ _gasp_ _as_ _two_ _strong_ _arms_ _engulfed_ _her_ _in_ _a_ _hug_. _Pressing_ _her_ _check_ _against_ _his_ _red_ _haori_, _Kagome_ _closed_ _her_ _eyes_ _and_ _wrapped_ _her_ _arms_ _around_ _his_ _waist_.

_Holding_ _her_ _firmly_ _with_ _one_ _hand_ _pressed_ _against_ _the_ _small_ _of_ _her_ _back_, _InuYasha_ _stroked_ _her_ _hair_ _with_ _the_ _other_. "_Keh_, _stupid_ _wench_. _Of_ _course_, _you_ _couldn_'_t_ _have_ _done_ _it_ _without_ _me_." _He_ _pulled_ _back_ _slightly_ _as_ _he_ _felt_ _the_ _girl_ _stiffen_ _in_ _his_ _arm_. "_And_ _I_ _couldn_'_t_ _have_ _done_ _it_ _without_ _you_, _Kagome_."

_The_ _sharp_ _retort_ _died_ _on_ _her_ _lips_ _as_ _she_ _stared_ _at_ _the_ _golden_ _orbs_ _looking_ _deep_ _into_ _her_ _eyes_. _Instead_ _of_ _the_ _normal_ _sarcastic_ _look_ _she_ _got_ _from_ _the_ _hanyou_, _he_ _was_ _smiling_ _gently_ _at_ _her_, _his_ _eyes_ _warm_ _and_ _soft_.

_Time_ _seemed_ _to_ _stand still_ _as_ _InuYasha_ _slowly_ _lowered_ _his_ _head_ _and_ _caught_ _Kagome_'_s_ _lips_ _in_ _a_ _soft_, _sweet_ _kiss_.

-x-x-x-x-

"In the end they completed the jewel, defeated Naraku and the great hanyou, InuYasha, went down in history." The miko interpreter finished up the story as the children burst into applause.

"Just like Rudolph," whispered Kazuki. He grinned as he looked over at Kagome, but the smile quickly vanished when he noticed her ashen face. "Kagome?"

Kagome took a deep breath and looked over at Kazuki, smiling reassuringly before she turned back to the story.

"What happened to the girl?" asked a little boy.

"All those years the hanyou was her protector, her friend, and one day she fell in love with him."

"What happened then?"

"Well, she let him go."

"Why?" asked several of the children.

The interpreter shrugged. "You know the saying? If you love someone then you set them free. If they come back then they're yours, and if they don't…"

"Did he come back?" questioned the same little boy.

Kagome paled as the dam broke and tears streamed down her face. "No…"

-x-x-x-x-

Kazuki looked at his friend in concern as he dragged her away from the group after the story was completed. "Kagome, are you all right?"

Kagome sighed and looked out across the shrine. "Yes, I'll be all right…"

Kazuki lifted a finger and gently touched the dried tear tracks on Kagome's cheeks. "All right, hmmm? Well, then what was that all about?"

"It's nothing. I'll be okay."

"Kagome," Kazuki scoffed lightly, "it's not nothing. Something's obviously bothering you. You have something bottled up inside of you and it needs to come out."

Kagome closed her eyes. It pained her to rehash old memories, but she also didn't like to see the glint of worry in her friend's eyes or hear the concern evident in his voice. "It's just being here… It brings back so many memories…"

"Is that why you ran away?"

Kagome glanced sharply at her friend. "I didn't run away," she stated indignantly. "I got a job offer that I couldn't refuse."

"And it just so happens that the job offer was half a world away," Kazuki pointed out.

Kagome tried to lighten the mood. "Hey, I met you, didn't I?"

"Don't try to change the subject, Kags."

"It's not like that. I didn't run away."

Kazuki gently tipped Kagome's chin towards him and looked into her eyes. "It's me, Kaz, remember? I'm your friend — talk to me. Let me in. You've never told me why you disliked coming home so much." He held up a palm to forestall the defensive response he knew was coming. "Admit it, Kags, you might not have been running away at first, but you sure as hell are running now."

Kagome didn't answer. A lump welled up in her throat as tears threatened to flow again.

"Kagome?"

"I was in love once…" whispered Kagome.

"And?" prompted Kazuki.

"There once was a girl, just like in that story." Kagome tried to smile brightly. "She met a boy and she fell in love. She thought he could do anything. He was her world, and she would have done anything for him. She _did_ do everything for him. He... he trusted her, protected her and thought she wouldn't ever break his heart. But they were both so young, so inexperienced, so naïve. They both needed to grow up, and, in the end, she let the boy go…"

"Did he come back?"

Kagome sighed deeply, her voice soft with emotion. "No… no, he didn't."

"What happened to the girl, Kagome?"

Kagome looked at him brightly, masking her pain behind a fake smile. "She came back, got a job, went to school, and made something of herself. She accepted her fate, and she made a life she could live with."

"But she never forgot him…"

"No," she admitted softly, "she never forgot."

-x-x-x-x-

_**Five**_ _**Years**_ _**Earlier**_

"_What_ _the_ _hell_ _do_ _you_ _mean_ _you_'_re_ _moving_ _away_?!" _bellowed_ _a_ _very_ _furious_ _and_ _irate_ _hanyou_.

"_InuYasha_, _I_ _just_ _explained_. _I_ _have_ _to_ _go_."

_InuYasha_ _clutched_ _Kagome_'_s_ _arms_ _and_ _loosened_ _his_ _grip_ _when_ _he_ _felt_ _her_ _flinch_. "_Like_ _hell_ _you_ _do_! _You_ _can_'_t_ _just_ _leave_, _Kagome_!"

"_Please_ _stop_ _yelling_, _InuYasha_," _the_ _girl_ _pleaded_ _with_ _tears_ _in_ _her_ _eyes_.

"_Don_'_t_ _you_ _dare_ _cry_ _on_ _me_, _wench_! _You_'_re_ _the_ _one_ _who_ _wants_ _to_ _leave_!"

"_InuYasha_, _that_'_s_ _not_ _how_ _it_ _is_. _I_ _don_'_t_ _want_ _to_ _move_…"

"_Then_ _don_'_t_! _Why_ _the_ _hell_ _do_ _you_ _want_ _to_ _go_ _to_ _this_ _Can_-_a_-_da_ _for_ _anyways_?"

"_I_ _told_ _you_, _InuYasha_, _they_ _offered_ _me_ _a_ _job_. _Who_ _else_ _would_ _hire_ _a_ _twenty_ _year_ _old_ _who hasn_'_t_ _finished_ _secondary_ _school_ _yet_ _to_ _work_ _in_ _a_ _research_ _lab_ _with_ _some_ _of_ _the_ _top_ _scientists_ _in_ _the_ _field_? _I_ _can_'_t_ _turn_ _this_ _down_. _It_'_s_ _an_ _opportunity_ _of_ _a_ _lifetime_."

_InuYasha_ _let_ _go_ _of_ _Kagome_ _and_ _hung_ _his_ _head_, _his_ _ears_ _pressed_ _down_ _to_ _his_ _skull_. _His_ _painful_ _expression_ _was_ _partially_ _hidden_ _behind_ _the_ _fall_ _of_ _silver_ _bangs_. "_Is_ _your_ _job_ _more_ _important_ _than_ _staying_ _here_… _than_ _me_?"

"_Kami_, _no_! _Of_ _course_ _not_! _I_'_m_ _doing_ _this_ _for_ _you_…_ for_ _us_. _Can_'_t_ _you_ _understand_?"

_Kagome_ _reached_ _up_, _brushed_ _back_ _his_ _bangs_ _with_ _one_ _hand_ _and_ _caressed_ _his_ _cheek lovingly_ _with_ _the_ _other_. "_This_ _will_ _ensure_ _our_ _future_, _InuYasha_. _Please_ _understand_."

_InuYasha_ _rested_ _his_ _forehead_ _against_ _Kagome_'_s_, _his_ _breath_ _tickling_ _her_ _face_. "_Then_ _why_ _can_'_t_ _I_ _go_ _with_ _you_?"

"_Because_… _because_ _you_ _just_ _can_'_t_…" _Kagome_ _swallowed_, _not_ _daring_ _to_ _meet_ _his_ _eyes_._ She_ _was_ _scared_ _that_ _he_ _would_ _convince_ _her_ _otherwise_ _and_ _she_ _couldn_'_t_ _take_ _him_ _with_ _her_. "_What_ _they_'_ve_ _asked_ _me_ _to_ _do_, _it_'_s_ _highly_ _secretive_ _and_…_ and_,_ it_'_s_ _only_ _for_ _two_ _years_._ You_ _have_ _to_ _stay_ _here_._ I_'_ll_ _visit_ _as_ _much_ _as_ _I_ _can_." _Kagome_ _looked_ _up_ _hopefully_.

_InuYasha_ _dropped_ _his_ _arms_, _folded_ _his_ _hands_ _up_ _his_ _sleeves_ _and_ _backed_ _away_ _towards_ _the_ _well_ _house_. "_It_'_s_ _been_ _three_ _years_, _Kagome_. _What_ _happened_ _to_ _our_ _plans_? _You_ _were_ _going_ _to_ _finish_ _school_ _and_ _then_…" _InuYasha_ _choked_ _off_ _his_ _words_.

_Kagome_ _looked_ _at_ _him_ _helplessly_. "_Plans_ _change_, _InuYasha_."

"_I_'_m_ _asking_ _one_ _last_ _time_, _Kagome_. _Stay_… _stay_ _here_ _with_ _me_," _pleaded_ _the_ _crestfallen_ _hanyou_.

"_I_ _can_'_t_…"

"_You_ _won_'_t_ _stay_ _and_ _you_ _won_'_t_ _let_ _me_ _go_ _with_ _you_. _You_ _expect_ _me_ _to_ _just_ _stay_ _here_ _and_ _wait_ _for_ _you_ _to_ _return_, _like_ _a_ _dog_ _waiting_ _for_ _scraps_?" _InuYasha_ _replied_ _hotly_. "_Well_, _I_ _can't_ _do_ _it_. _I_ _can_'_t_ _just_ _stay_ _here_ _and_ _wait_ _for_ _you_."_ InuYasha_ _turned_ _his_ _back_ _to_ _her_ _and_ _faced_ _the_ _well_, _his_ _spine_ _iron_ _rod_ _straight_.

_Without_ _turning_ _around_, _he_ _tried_ _one_ _last_ _time_. "_You_ _won_'_t_ _change_ _your_ _mind_?"

_Kagome_ _looked_ _at_ _him_ _beseechedly_. "_InuYasha_, _please_ _don_'_t_ _do_ _this_…"

"_You_ _give_ _me_ _no_ _choice_, _Kagome_…_good_-_bye_…" _InuYasha_ _hopped_ _up_ _onto_ _the_ _well_ _and_ _paused_ _for_ _a_ _moment_, _hoping_ _against_ _all_ _hope_ _that_ _Kagome_ _would_ _plead_ _for_ _him_ _to_ _stay_.

_Kagome_ _groaned_ _wretchedly_ _as_ _she_ _sank_ _down_ _to_ _her_ _knees_. "_InuYasha_, _please_…"

_InuYasha_ _closed_ _his_ _eyes_. _He_ _didn_'_t_ _mean_ _to_ _give_ _her_ _an_ _ultimatum_, _but_ _once_ _the_ _words_ _were_ _out_ _of_ _his_ _mouth_, _he_ _couldn_'_t_ _take_ _it_ _back_. _When_ _she_ _picked_ _her_ _new_ _job_ _over_ _him_, _he_ _felt_ _like_ _a_ _hot_, _sharp_ _sword_ _pierced_ _his_ _heart_. _He_ _had_ _to_ _leave_ _before_ _tears_ _threatened_ _to_ _engulf_ _him_ _and_ _he_ _would_ _break_ _down_. _If_ _he_ _stayed_ _much_ _longer_, _he_ _would_ _end_ _up_ _on_ _his_ _hands_ _and_ _knees_, _begging_ _her_ _to_ _stay_. _He_ _felt_ _his_ _pride_ _well_ _up_ _inside_ _of_ _him_. _He_ _would_ _not_ _beg_ _her_ _to_ _stay_. _She_ _had_ _made_ _her_ _choice_. _He_ _jumped_.

_As Kagome watched, InuYasha disappeared down the well. It felt like her heart was broken into splinters and scattered to the winds. Giving into her emotions, she buried her face into her hands and cried._

-x-x-x-x-

It was late afternoon when Kagome and Kazuki went into the house. After their talk, Kagome gave Kazuki a tour of the shrine, giving him bits of history that she remembered from Jii-Chan's stories. She avoided the well house and if Kazuki noticed the omission, he didn't say anything. Nori was in the kitchen preparing dinner and just waved Kagome off when she started to put on an apron and stepped in to help.

The phone rang just then and Kagome spent the next twenty minutes talking to her little brother. Sota had called apologizing profusely that he was not there to see his sister. He had been invited out with his girlfriend's family for the weekend and would not be back until Monday. Kagome simply laughed off his apologies and teased him about not being high on his priority list. Before she hung up, she promised Sota that she would stop by the shrine again, before she went back to Canada, so that they could visit.

Kazuki smiled as he heard the loving tone in Kagome's voice as she spoke with her little brother. A soft expression came over her face as she hung up the phone and turned towards her friend. "They grow up so fast. It seems like yesterday that Sota was eleven years old and following me around everywhere. Now, he's a young man with a girlfriend. Where did the years go?"

"Damn, Kagome, you sound like an old maid. You're only twenty-five, you know," Kazuki teased.

"But sometimes I feel older." A pained expression crossed Kagome's face.

"Hey, no more bad memories, okay?" Kazuki steered Kagome into the kitchen as smells of cooking wafted into the living room. "I'm starving and what your mother is cooking smells absolutely delicious!"

Dinner was uneventful as the trio talked and laughed. Nori regaled stories of Kagome when she was younger, making Kagome blush at her childhood antics. Kazuki noticed that while most of the stories were when Kagome was quite young, the years between when she was fifteen and seventeen were noticeably absent. He made a mental note to ask Kagome about that later. Perhaps, like all teenagers, she went through a phase that they didn't like to talk about. Kagome and Kazuki filled Nori in about their research, leaving out the more secretive components.

During the course of dinner, Kagome kept giving her mother glances as if she wanted to ask her something. Nori finally had enough and put down her chopsticks. "Kagome, just ask me."

"What, Mama?" Kagome asked innocently.

Kazuki figured he had enough too and put in his two cents worth. "Just spit it out, Kags. You've been dying to say something all night. Obviously I'm not the only one who noticed. Out with it."

Kagome fidgeted with her napkin. "I was wondering if you've seen _him_ lately."

Nori sighed as she looked at her daughter. "Kagome, in all the years you've never asked about him. Why now?"

"I don't know. I just…"

"She can't let go," Kazuki chimed in. "She needs to face her past before she can get on with her future."

Kagome glared at her friend. "Thanks for the advice, _doctor,_ but this doesn't concern you."

Nori put her hand on top of Kagome's. "Darling, I haven't seen him for over three years. I'm not even sure if he can come through anymore."

"Oh…" Kagome never considered that the well may have sealed, and the thought made her panic. She pushed her chair back abruptly and started out of the room.

"Where are you going, Kagome?"

"I need to check it, to make sure."

"Kagome…"

"Kags, where _are_ you going?"

Kagome stopped. Even after confiding in Kazuki over the years, she had never told him about the well and her time travels. There were just some things that she couldn't re-live with anyone and this was one of them. She sat back at the table. "Do you think that's why he's never…" Kagome looked forlornly at her mother, looking for reassurance.

"Kagome," Nori said gently, "I thought… Oh dear, I thought you were the one who ended things. Didn't you?"

Kagome laid her head down on her arms and mumbled a reply, "Oh, Mama, I'm just the one who messed things up."

She kept her head down as she heard Kazuki thank her mama for dinner and quietly left the kitchen, leaving the two women alone.

"Kagome, do you want to talk about it?"

Black tresses hid her face as Kagome wailed, "It's been over five years! Why can't I just let the past go? I don't date, and when I meet a man all I can do is compare him to _him_. He was rude, uncouth and rough around the edges. So, why can't any man I meet measure up to him? Look at Kaz! He's great looking, smart, has a great career, loyal, dedicated, ready to settle down, but…"

"But you don't love him. You love InuYasha. That's why you can't let go, darling," Nori said gently. "We don't pick who we love, dear, our heart does."

"But if he loved me, he wouldn't have left me!" wailed Kagome.

"I thought you left him?"

"No, I mean, I did." Kagome grabbed her head. "Oh, it's all so confusing. I left but that's because I had to accept this job, Mama. It would have secured our future together. I was working towards that happening, and then we could have been together without worry."

"Did you ever explain that to him?"

Kagome looked up, her face earnest. "I tried Mama, but you know how he is. He was so stubborn. He wouldn't listen to anything I said. He just left. He wouldn't give us a chance!" Kagome was starting to get mad. "He's so stubborn and pigheaded!"

"Kagome, there's something you should know."

At the questioning look from her daughter, Nori explained, "About a week after you moved, InuYasha came by — "

"What! He came back? What did he want? Did you talk to him? Why didn't you tell me!" Kagome rushed out in one breath.

"Whoa," laughed Nori. "One question at a time. Yes, he came by looking for you. When I told him you had already moved, he panicked, but I told him you were okay and managed to calm him down. He asked me about your new job. I told him what I knew which wasn't much. Before he left he asked me not to mention his visit to you."

"Did he say why he came?"

"I asked but he just said that he wanted make sure you were okay. He came back every now and then, always asking about you."

"Oh, why didn't you tell me!" cried Kagome, thinking of all the years lost.

"I didn't say anything because InuYasha asked me not to. I wanted to tell you, but Jii-Chan told me to respect InuYasha's wishes and not to interfere. And," Nori looked lovingly at her daughter, "it was something Jii-Chan had said. He said that there was a reason that you were born with the Shikon no Tama in you — that you had a destiny to fulfill. He said that it was up to you to make your own choices, to carve your own path, and it was not up to us to interfere with fate."

Kagome sat in silence, digesting what her mama said.

"I was just really angry then," Kagome said in a small voice. "He wanted to come with me, and I said no. He begged me to stay, and I said no. Then he got mad and left, and I got mad and moved."

"Sometimes the worst arguments are a case of miscommunication, and we let our pride get in the way."

"You said you haven't seen him in over three years. Maybe he forgot about me," Kagome said dejectedly.

"I'm sure he didn't forget you, Kagome." Nori looked away thoughtfully. "The last time he came by was after…" Her eyes widened and she gave a gasp.

"What is it, Mama?"

"You had just called. You were telling me about Kazuki, raving about some project succeeding that you two had just completed." Nori remembered and sighed. "You had just extended your work contract too. When I told InuYasha that you were staying in Canada, he got really upset."

"Oh…"

"There's something else. I didn't think anything of it at the time, but he asked about your friends and co-workers in Canada. He was particularly interested in Kazuki. He must have heard me talking to Jii-Chan about him. He seemed unhappy about how close you were getting to him."

"You told him that he was just my friend right, Mama?" Kagome asked worriedly.

"Yes, of course, but since that time, I haven't seen him around, but," Nori noticed the distressed look on Kagome's face, "that doesn't mean he didn't come by. Perhaps Sota has seen him. You should ask your brother."

"It doesn't matter." Kagome buried her face in her hands again. "I know why he was so upset. The last time I talked to him I had said that my job contract was for only two years and then I would be home, but I didn't come back. He must think that I abandoned him. He must hate me!"

"Do you hate him?"

"Of course not!"

"Then I'm sure he doesn't hate you either," soothed Nori.

"It's been five years, and he hasn't been back… It's too late now..."

"Kagome, it's never too late."

"But —"

"Do you still love him, Kagome?"

"I've never stopped."

"Then it's never too late."

"Do you really think we can still work things out?" Kagome looked up hopefully.

"I'm sure you can, dear."

"Oh, Mama, thank you!" Kagome jumped up and hugged her mother. "I can go through the well tonight. He'll…"

"Ah, Kagome, what about Kazuki? Wouldn't he notice if you suddenly disappeared?"

"Oh, right…" Kagome's enthusiasm deflated. "I also have to be at the Takahashi building tomorrow for a meeting. Damn."

"Kagome!" exclaimed Nori, shocked at her daughter's language.

"Sorry, Mama. Blame Kazuki for that one." Kagome smiled, feeling much better now that she knew what she had to do. "Speaking of which, I should go see where he is."

Kagome helped her mother clean up the dishes before hugging her and leaving the kitchen. After checking to make sure Kazuki wasn't in the house, she went outside to find him.

"Kaz!" Kagome called. When he didn't answer, she frowned and headed towards the Goshinboku.

As she approached the tree, she saw a flash of silver and her heart froze. "InuYasha," she whispered.


	4. Memories of Old

Disclaimer: InuYasha is owned by Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan Inc. and Viz Media. Back to the Future owned by Universal Studios, Amblin Entertainment and U-Drive Productions. Story and all original characters created are owned by me.

**Chapter 3: Memories of Old**

-x-x-x-x-

"_Kaz_!" _Kagome_ _called_. _When_ _he_ _didn_'_t_ _answer_, _she_ _frowned_ _and_ _headed_ _towards_ _the_ _Goshinboku_.

_As_ _she_ _approached_ _the_ _tree_, _she_ _saw_ _a_ _flash_ _of_ _silver_ _and_ _her_ _heart_ _froze_. "_InuYasha_,"_ she_ _whispered_.

-x-x-x-x-

A body suddenly landed in a crouch in front of her.

"Guess again, darling," said Kazuki as he looked up at her.

Kagome held her hand against her chest, trying to steady her beating heart. "Kami, Kaz! Don't scare me like that!"

"So… InuYasha, eh? The great inu-hanyou of legend?" Kazuki stood up and shook out his silver hair.

When Kagome didn't answer, he looked questioningly at her. "Uh, Kagome? Hello, earth to Kagome." He waved his hand in front of her eyes.

"Oh, sorry. It's just… you surprised me. With your silver hair and gold eyes…" Kagome trailed off.

"I look like lover-boy, eh?" supplied Kaz with a wide grin.

"Kazuki!"

"Ah… I must have hit a sore spot. You never call me Kazuki."

"Kaz, stop teasing. I mean it." Kagome narrowed her eyes as Kaz opened his mouth to retort.

Throwing his hands up in surrender, Kaz grinned and jumped back into the tree.

"What are you doing in your hanyou form anyways?" Kagome called up to him.

"It's nice out here. I wanted to smell the scents." Kazuki's voice floated down from the branches.

"Ah, Kaz, can you come down here, please?"

"Look at the view up here, Kags, it's great!"

"I have seen the view," Kagome muttered softly under her breath.

Kazuki jumped down again.

"Ah! Stop doing that, Kaz!"

"So, want to see the view again?" Kazuki asked.

Kagome narrowed her eyes suspicously as a thought occurred to her. "How good is your hearing when you're in hanyou form?"

"Err, what do you mean?"

"I mean," Kagome poked a finger into his chest, "you just heard what I mumbled about the view. What else did you hear? Did you hear anything from the kitchen from here?"

"Ah…"

"Kazuki..."

"Well, if you mean that conversation with your mom… ah…" Kazuki shrugged his shoulders.

"Kaz!"

"Okay, okay, so I heard a bit of it." At Kagome's glare, he coughed lightly. "Ah… okay, so I heard most of it, but I didn't mean to, honest!" He held up his hands. "I did just want to smell the night air, that's all. I can't help it if my hearing becomes super sharp. You're not exactly quiet, you know."

Kagome sighed and shook her head in resignation. "So, you heard about InuYasha?"

"Yeah." Kazuki noticed Kagome's mellow mood and, for once, didn't try to push her buttons. Trying to change the subject, Kazuki gestured towards the branches. "So, do you want to see the view from up there again?"

Kagome looked up wistfully. "Yes, I would…"

Kazuki picked Kagome up before she could change her mind and prepared to leap up. He paused and grinned down at her. "So, you think that I'm 'great looking, smart, have a great career, loyal, dedicated, ready to settle down,' huh?"

"Kaz!" Kagome held on tight as they sprang up into the branches.

As soon as Kazuki set Kagome on her feet, she swung around and hit his shoulder.

"Oww, what was that for?" Kazuki grabbed his shoulder mockingly.

"For being a jerk!"

"Yeah, but I'm a lovable jerk." Kazuki grinned broadly as he sat back against the tree trunk, an arm slung over a bent leg while dangling his other leg over the edge.

"Humph."

"Ah, come on, Kags. You know I'm only teasing. Have a seat and let's enjoy the view." He patted the branch in front of him.

Kagome inched her way towards him and gingerly lowered herself down. Swinging her legs she looked around at the night sky. "I forgot how beautiful it was up here."

"Come up here much?"

"I used to," Kagome hesitated. "InuYasha used to bring me up here."

"So, about this InuYasha... That story we heard today — it was true, wasn't it?"

Kagome bit her lip and nodded. "Yes, though I'm not sure how that interpreter knew about it, but," Kagome thought it over, "Mama probably told her."

"You really traveled back 500 years?" Kazuki asked skeptically.

"I did. Unbelievable, huh?" Kagome grinned at him. "It's all true though. I think I still can go through the well."

Kazuki nodded. "I thought you had something in your past. I just didn't realize how big of a secret it was. Kagome — time travel extraordinaire. Are you sure the great and powerful miko in the story is you?"

Kagome looked at his raised brow and sly grin and punched his shoulder lightly. "Do you want me to prove it by purifying your ass?"

"Tsk, tsk, such language, Kags, and you so did not learn bad words like that from me — telling your mother such lies." Kazuki wagged his finger at Kagome and gave an exaggerated sigh.

Kagome giggled. "You don't seem very surprised."

Kazuki shrugged. "It's a pretty far-fetched story, but I know you, Kags, you don't lie. Besides if you told a human that youkai still existed in this time, they wouldn't believe you either and, well," Kazuki lifted his hands up, "I'm living proof."

"Thanks, Kaz," Kagome replied softly. "I don't have many friends that would believe me on faith alone."

"Huh, then they're not much of your friends now are they?"

They settled in comfortable silence, each lost in thought.

Kagome closed her eyes and breathed in the night air. Sitting in the Goshinboku, especially with a hanyou at her back, she could pretend for one moment that she was twenty years old again, with everything in front of her: a future, a job, a love… Where did it all go wrong?

A shuffling at her back brought Kagome back from her ponderings. With a sigh, she asked, "Kaz, if you could go back and change something, something you regret, would you?"

"Hypothetically, maybe if I really wanted to, I would, but Kags, you're in a way different boat." He paused, not sure how to proceed. "I can't change the past, but you _can_." There's that whole time continuum dilemma. You go back and change things, and the future we know right now shifts. Remember that movie, Back to the Future? If Marty's parents didn't get together then Marty wouldn't have existed."

"But how do you know that this present right now is the way it should be?"

Kazuki gave a deep sigh. "Now we're getting into the whole realm of philosophical thinking. We're scientists, Kags, not philosophers." Kazuki watched Kagome as she stared up at the twinkling night sky. "Are you thinking about it, changing the past, I mean?"

"Would that be wrong?"

He paused, not sure how to get his point across. "Well, yes and no. If someone really wanted to change history bad enough and had the chance, they would probably jump at it. Who wouldn't?"

Kagome smiled wryly. "Why do I hear a 'but' in there?"

"_But_," he grinned at her, "you'd have to be cautious. You know the saying 'be careful what you wish for?' What if you wish for something you _think _you want, but in reality, it's not what you _really_ want or expect?"

Kagome grabbed her head. "Oh, this is all so confusing! I know what I want —"

"What do you want?"

"I want the best of both worlds. I want InuYasha and my job. Is it wrong to want both?"

"Well… no. In a perfect world, we can have it all, Kags, but being scientists, we know it's not a perfect world, and things don't always go as planned. Saying that, if everyone could go back and change things in their past — have do-overs so to speak, then how screwed up would that be?" He shrugged. "Life is like art. We're given an empty canvas when we're born, and we paint it the way we want. Some have darker canvases with blacks and greys, while others are rich with hues of red and gold. And there are some who use a plethora of colours to paint rainbows. Once the paint dries, it's there to stay. There shouldn't be do-overs, but that doesn't mean we can't get another canvas and make another painting."

Kagome raised an eyebrow and smiled. "That was pretty deep. Are you sure you're not a philosopher?"

Kazuki snickered. "Maybe at heart." His face turned somber. "Seriously, Kags, just remember, if you decide to change your painting, the ones who admired the original artwork would be affected as well." Kazuki stared hard at his friend. "Are you going to go?"

"Go where?"

He rolled his eyes. _What_ _the_ _hell_ _were_ _they_ _just_ _talking_ _about_? "Go through the well again, to go find your true love." Kagome couldn't miss the hurt creeping into Kazuki's voice.

"Oh, Kaz..."

Kazuki gave her a soft, sad smile. "It's okay, Kags. Don't worry about it. I always knew my love was unrequited, but you, you my dear, have a chance at finding happiness at last."

"I'm not sure if I can," Kagome said softly.

"But you have to try."

Kagome paused. "Yes… I do."

Kazuki held out his arms. "Still friends?"

Leaning in, Kagome hugged him. "Still friends." She rested against Kazuki, taking comfort from his support.

Kazuki kissed the top of her head. "Just remember that you have people here and now that care about you. If you decide to change your past and subsequently your future, promise me you'll remember that."

Kagome swallowed the lump in her throat and hugged him tighter. "Oh, Kaz, what would I ever do without you?"

"Don't worry, darling. I'll always be here for you."

The pair was so wrapped up in their thoughts that they didn't notice the flash of blue light coming from the well house or the pair of amber eyes staring up at them, hurt and betrayal filling the golden orbs.

-x-x-x-x-

"… _what_ _would_ _I_ _ever_ _do_ _without_ _you_? _Don_'_t_ _worry_, _darling_. _I_'_ll_ _always_ _be_ _here_ _for_ _you_."

Yash Takahashi jerked awake and lay in bed, panting heavily as his heartbeat raced. Trying to calm his inner turmoil, he swore as he sat up and swung his legs over the bed. Why the hell did he dream about that? It'd been years since he'd had _that _nightmare. He shook his head and headed towards the bathroom. Fuck, if he thought about that night again, it would drive him insane.

Turning on the shower, he stripped off his black sweatpants and leaned against the sink. Arms spread out on the countertop, he lowered his head and took a couple of deep breaths. He willed himself not to think about that night. After 500 years you would think that memories would have a way of being distorted and forgotten. But, unlucky for him, that night stayed in his mind, replaying over and over again, never letting him forget. After all, it was the night he lost his true love. Something that time would, unfortunately for him, not erase.

After his fight with Kagome when she picked her job over him, InuYasha was so angry that he had gone back to the Feudal era. A few dozen scattered trees later, he was calm enough to think rationally again. He realized that he was a fool. He had let his pride get in the way and in the heat of the moment he had acted rashly. He meant to go right back to Kagome and apologize. Hell, he would have done more than that, if that stupid worm youkai hadn't shown up and caught him by surprise.

After he dispatched that nasty creature, he was smothered in green youkai guts. Disgusted and sickened by the stench, he took off to the nearest river to wash up.

Before he had a chance to head back, he ran across two peasants being attacked by a scorpion youkai. Brimming with frustration, InuYasha got careless and had gotten stung in the process.

By the time he made it back to the well, he was burning up with fever from the scorpion poison infested in his system. It took Kaede two nights to get the poison out and, even then, it took InuYasha another week to fully recover. By the time he went back through the well Kagome had already moved to Canada, and InuYasha thought that he would die at the pain of losing her.

He went back to the Feudal era and stayed with Miroku and Sango, who had married and started their own personal mission to repopulate the re-built slayer village in which they lived. He was welcomed with open arms and was well respected with Miroku and Sango's large brood. After their deaths, he hung around for a few more generations until the humans in the village became people that he no longer knew.

He then traveled to the Western Lands and lived in the outskirts, occasionally meeting up with his brother, Sesshomaru. While he did not exactly become friends with Sesshomaru, a mutual respect between the two grew over the years. When Sesshomaru married and had children of his own, and InuYasha became an uncle, some of the ice around his heart melted. Having his own kin around — someone to protect and love again — made him swallow his loneliness. By that time the world was changing rapidly. Youkai were becoming creatures of myth as humans took more control of the lands.

Inventions were made to suppress youki and mask their auras. Sesshomaru, in his infinite wisdom, invested in these new technologies. With his stoic business sense, over time, he built an empire that extended far and wide, including research facilities to assist youkai in their ever-changing needs in a man-made world.

500 years later, Sesshomaru was a rich and powerful 'man', having taken Takahashi as his last name in the late 1800s when the Meiji Government passed the law that required all its inhabitants to have surnames. Sesshomaru, ever the deep thinker, chose a name with meaning: Takahashi being the stairs that connected the earth and the heavens. It was a fitting name for an inu-youkai lord.

InuYasha naturally followed suit, adopting the same surname, but dropping the 'Inu' from his name. After all, it wouldn't do to go around being known as a 'dog demon' even though he truly was one.

Thus, Yash Takahashi found himself President of The Takahashi Group. He kept busy working hard for the company, visiting his various nephews and nieces, and dabbling in his own smaller investments. He had a small group of friends, some youkai, some human, but he never really got close to anyone. He opened his heart twice before and that was enough for it to be broken. Yet he had a good life, one that he enjoyed, and the years blended into one another.

Yash sighed as he hopped out of the shower. He shook his head, spraying water everywhere. _Great_, _now_ _the_ _housekeeper_ _will_ _have_ _something_ _else_ _to bitch_ _about_, he thought grimly.

Lost in his brooding thoughts, he headed into the bedroom. He pulled out a deep red Ralph Lauren sport shirt and put on a pair of black pleated pants, looping a matching black belt through. After some contemplation he selected a black leather cord and tied his hair back at the nape of his neck. Adjusting the rosary that hung around his neck with one hand, he grabbed his platinum transformation ring with the other. He slipped the ring on his right hand and felt his youki disperse; silver tresses turning black and golden orbs faded to slate grey.

Just as he was leaving the bedroom, the telephone rang.

"Takahashi here," he answered.

After a few moments of listening to the person at the end of the line, he glanced at the clock and slammed the receiver down. "Son of a bitch!"

He grabbed his black leather jacket and keys and raced out the door. _Fuck, Sesshomaru was going to kill him_. It was already 9:30, and his secretary had called to remind him of the 10:00 meeting. He had forgotten about the damn meeting, even after Sesshomaru berated and harassed him about it before he left the office on Saturday evening. Sesshomaru had explicitly ordered Yash to read the files to get a handle on the project that they would be discussing. The files he had left sitting on his desk. _Shit_, _shit_, _shit_! _Sesshomaru_ _was_ _definitely_ _going_ _to_ _kill_ _him._

_It_ _was_ _going_ _to_ _be_ _one_ _of_ _those_ _days_, he thought as he slammed on his helmet and revved up his Suzuki Hayabusa motorcycle.

Pealing into the Takahashi parking lot seventeen minutes later, he zoomed past security, swerving to avoid hitting the car he had suddenly cut off. Swearing under his breath, he parked his motorbike in his reserved stall. Not bothering to take his helmet off, he ran into the building.

He crossed the crowed lobby giving the security guards a quick wave as he headed towards the elevators. A hand shot out and grabbed his arm, and he cursed as he turned around to face the perpetrator.

"I'm sorry, but you have to take your helmet off, sir," the guard said.

Yash swore as he tore his helmet off, "What the hell…"

Another guard quickly appeared. "Please accept our humble apologies, Mr. Takahashi, sir. Adachi here is new. He didn't realize who you were." He bowed profusely.

The guard who originally held him up paled as he realized his error. "I apologize sir..." he stammered as Yash impatiently waved them off.

He flashed his security card through the scanner and waited impatiently as it scanned his personal information before allowing him to pass through the glass doors. _Damn_ _Sesshomaru_ _and_ _his_ _damn_ _security_ _measures_. _The_ _building_ _was_ _like_ _fucking_ _Fort_ _Knox_, Yash thought as he scanned his pass on the elevator's panel and rode up to his office. He was the only one in the elevator, but he knew he was not alone. Two hidden security cameras, one in the panel and one in the upper top corner, watched his every move.

His youki rushed through his body creating a tingling sensation as he sped up the elevator. This was another security measure of his brother's. The area the complex was built on was protected with a special concealment barrier that allowed youkai to walk around freely throughout the various buildings and adjoining grounds. The barrier effectively disabled all transformation charms and stopped any uninvited guests from entering the premises. This was one of the benefits of investing in youkai research — you were a beneficiary of any successful top-notch projects.

However, one had to be careful. Step outside the concealment zone without your transformation charm, and you would be exposed to the whole world. That was why Sesshomaru made it a command that absolutely everyone had to keep their personal transformation charms on, lest anyone got careless and forgot.

The idea was two-fold in that hanyou employees did not have to lose their youki abilities while on site, and it also provided security for the company to keep track of all the youkai and humans on the premises.

The elevator opened up and Yash merely grunted at the secretary sitting behind the curved teak desk as he rushed by her. The wolf youkai gave Yash a seductive smile and waved him into the office area.

Yash went through the double wide wooden doors that lead into the inner offices and paused long enough by his secretary's desk to bark out, "Coffee," before he hurried into his own private office.

"Mr. Takahashi, Mr. Sesshomaru Takahashi is waiting for you…" the secretary's voice trailed off as the flash of silver brushed past her.

"Oh well," she sighed before she went to get his demanded cup of coffee, "he'll find out soon enough."

Yash rushed into his office… and stopped dead in his tracks as two piercing amber eyes glared at him from behind his own desk.

-x-x-x-x-

"Baka, did you not hear a word I said to you before you left on Saturday?" Sesshomaru reprimanded without preamble.

"Sess, let me explain —"

"Since you have such a high stake in the success of this project, I am surprised at the lack of interest that you have shown," Sesshomaru replied coldly. "I take it you did not read the files?" He held up the manila folder that was lying on Yash's desk.

Since it was a rhetorical question, Yash did not bother to answer. Instead he stood staring stonily at Sesshomaru. As the seconds ticked by, he began to fidget under the tense scrutiny of his brother. "Look, Sess, I'll look it over right now —"

"Dr. Watanabe was in charge of giving me updates," Sesshomaru interrupted. "I never bothered to ask who was in charge of the actual research. I didn't read the reports until this weekend myself. I didn't know." His amber eyes seem to soften a second with that cryptic remark before they became molten gold again. The transition was so brief that Yash had to blink a few times, certain that his eyes were deceiving him. "You have to prepare yourself."

"Sess, what the hell are you talking about?" Yash gave him a blank look.

Sesshomaru sighed. Sometimes his brother could be so dense. It's a wonder anything got through to that thick skull of his. Fighting the urge to roll his eyes, Sesshomaru growled, "The meeting is in ten minutes." He glanced at his Rolex watch. "Make that eight minutes. Brief yourself." He threw the folder onto the desk and gracefully got off the black leather chair. He paused as he drew along side Yash, "Don't be late."

Yash heaved a heavy sigh as his brother left his office. Groaning as he sank into his chair, he pulled the files towards him. His secretary discreetly entered the office and placed a coffee mug down beside him. He reached for it and yelped as the hot, scalding liquid burned his tongue. Hissing slightly, he began flipping through the folder.

"Project: Hanyou Transformations, working to disguise appearances while not suppressing youkai, blah, blah, blah..." Yash rapidly rifled through the notes, scanning the important details — at least he hoped it was the important details he read.

He flipped over a page and stopped. He stared at the name on top of the page and his mind went numb. Kazuki Matsumoto. _Now_, _where_ _the_ _hell_ _had_ _he_ _heard_ _that_ _name_ _before_? He stilled as he twirled the name in his head. Suddenly, the answer splashed at him like icy cold water as his nightmare came rushing back to him. Kazuki… Kaz… _the_ _bastard_…

Breathing heavily, Yash willed himself to calm down as he shuffled through more paper until he found what he was looking for. It was the profile sheets on the scientists working on the project. On the top was Kazuki's personal history, complete with two photos: one of his hanyou form and the other of his human form. Looking at the hanyou photo, Yash confirmed it was indeed the bastard that had stolen Kagome away from him. Seething with rage, it took every ounce of his self-control not to tear the picture into shreds.

Through the red haze, Yash glanced down and froze. The name beside Kazuki's stood out like a beacon in the night: Kagome Higurashi. His breathing hitched as he shakily turned the page and stared at a recent photo of Kagome. Time stood still as the world melted away. Yash stared at the girl— no, she was a woman now — looking back at him. Her hair was the same, still a bit unruly with full bangs framing her arched brows. Her complexion was smooth and flawless. Her lips were slightly parted, almost pouty in their fullness. Somber brown eyes reflected determination and intelligence and a hint of… sadness?

Yash could drown himself in those eyes and had to forcefully pull his gaze away. She looked exactly like he remembered her. He sighed and looked out the window, deflated as suppressed memories flooded him. He was no longer sitting at his desk in his office. He was 500 years younger and he was standing at the Higurashi Shrine…

-x-x-x-x-

_Five_ _years_ _ago_ _InuYasha_ _came_ _through_ _the_ _well_ _looking_ _for_ _Kagome_. _He_ _was_ _sorry_, _so_ _sorry for_ _getting_ _mad_. _Nothing_ _was_ _worth_ _losing_ _her_ _over_, _certainly_ _not_ _his_ _stubborn_ _pride_, _and he_ _came_ _back_ _to_ _tell_ _her_ _that_. _Except_ _that_ _when_ _he_ _came_ _through_, _he_ _found_ _that_ _she_ _had_ _already_ _moved_ _away_. _He_ _panicked_, _and_ _he_ _started_ _to_ _fly_ _into_ _a_ _terrible_ _anguish_ _when_ _Kagome_'_s_ _mother_ _managed_ _to_ _calm_ _him_ _down_ _by_ _reassuring_ _him_ _that_ _she_ _was_ _all_ _right_.

_After_ _speaking_ _with_ _Mrs_. _Higurashi_, _he_ _was_ _calm_ _enough_ _to_ _realize_ _it_ _would_ _be_ _okay_; _Kagome_ _would_ _come_ _back_. _After_ _all_, _she_ _had_ _said_ _she_ _would_ _be_ _gone_ _only_ _two_ _years_. _What_ _was_ _two_ _years_? _He_ _would_ _wait_ _for_ _her_ _forever_ _if_ _he_ _had_ _to_.

_He_ _made_ _periodic_ _visits_ _to_ _her_ _time_ _and_ _asked_ _about_ _her_. _Occasionally_, _he_ _would_ _appear_ _and_ _catch_ _glimpses_ _of_ _her_ _life_ _in_ _Canada_ _from_ _eavesdropping_ _on_ _conversations_ _her_ _mother_ _had_ _with Jii-Chan_ _or_ _Sota_. _In_ _a_ _roundabout_ _way_, _it_ _made_ _him_ _feel_ _better_, _knowing_ _that_ _she_ _was_ _okay_. _It_ _still_ _devastated_ _him_ _to_ _know_ _that he_ _wasn_'_t_ _there_ _to_ _protect her_, _but_ _hearing_ _about_ _her_ _and_ _how_ _enthusiastic_ _she_ _was_ _about_ _her_ _job_ _made_ _the_ _pain_ _in_ _his_ _heart_ _ache_ _a_ _little_ _less_. _If_ _she_ _was_ _happy_, _he_ _was_ _too_, _for_ _her_ _sake_.

_In_ _the_ _Feudal_ _era_, _he_ _kept_ _busy_ _helping_ _Miroku_ _and_ _Sango_ _around_ _their_ _slayer_ _village_. _While_ _he_ _did_ _enjoy_ _being_ _around_ _their_ _growing_ _family_,_ it_ _was_ _the_ _moments_ _that_ _he_ _heard_ _about_ _Kagome_ _that_ _he_ _truly_ _lived_ _for_. _It_ _made_ _her_ _seem_ _like_ _she_ _was_ _still_ _with_ _him_, _and_ _he_ _counted_ _the_ _days_ _that_ _she_ _would_ _return_ _to_ _him_.

_He_ _overheard_ _Jii_-_Chan_ _talking_ _about_ _destiny_, _and_ _how_ _Kagome_ _was_ _fated_ _for_ _something_ _more_ _and_ _that_ _they_ _shouldn_'_t_ _interfere_. _InuYasha_ _took that_ _advice_ _to_ _heart_ _even_ _if_ _it_ _wasn_'_t_ _meant_ _for_ _him_. _He_ _loved_ _her_ _enough_ _to_ _let_ _her_ _go_ _and_ _find_ _her_ "_destiny_". _He_ _just_ _prayed_ _that_ _that_ _destiny_ _still_ _included_ _him_.

_In_ _her_ _visits_ _back_ _to_ _Japan_, _he_ _always_ _hid_ _up_ _in_ _the_ _trees_ _intently_ _watching_ _her_, _listening_ _to_ _her_ _and_ _memorizing_ _every_ _feature_. _She_ _never_ _stayed_ _for_ _long_, _something_ _that_ _he_ _never_ _really_ _understood_. _In_ _all_ _that_ _time_ _during_ _her_ _infrequent_ _visits_, _never_ _once_ _did_ _she_ _mention him_. _It hurt_, _boy_, _did_ _that_ _hurt_ _a_ _lot_, _but_ _then again_, _he_ _never_ _came_ _out_ _of_ _his_ _hiding_ _spots_ _either_. _So_, _okay_, _they_ _were_ _both_ _being_ _stubborn_ _and_ _prideful_. _Many_ _times_, _he_ _almost_ _approached_ _her_, _but_ _he_ _would always_ _lose_ _his_ _nerve_ _at_ _the_ _last_ _minute_. _After_ _a_ _while_, _InuYasha_ _was_ _just_ _happy_ _to_ _observe_ _her_; _to_ _have_ _her_ _soothing_ _presence_ _around_. _She_ _didn_'_t_ _visit_ _much_, _which_ _he_ _frowned_ _upon_. _After_ _all_, _she_ _was_ _supposed_ _to_ _visit_ _more_ _often_, _wasn_'_t_ _she_? _But_ _he_ _never_ _dwelled_ _too_ _much_ _on_ _it._ A_fter_ _all,_ _one_ _day_ _soon she_ _would_ _come_ _home_ _for_ _good_. _So_ _he_ _watched_ _and_ _he_ _waited_.

_All_ _that_ _shattered_ _the_ _day_ _he_ _found_ _out_ _that_ _she_ _had_ _extended_ _her_ _contract_ _and_ _was_ _staying_ _in_ _Canada_. _She_ _told_ _him_ _only_ _two_ _years_. _He_ _was_ _waiting_ _for_ _her_ _to_ _come_ _home_, _what_ _he_ _had_ _lived_ _for_. _He_ _thought_ _his_ _heart_ _would_ _shatter_ _into_ _a_ _million_ _pieces_. _Did_ _she_ _forget_ _about_ _him_? _Maybe_ _all_ _those_ _moments_ _that_ _she_ _never_ _mentioned_ _him_ _weren_'_t_ _a_ _result_ _of_ _stubbornness_, _maybe_ _she_ _didn_'_t_ _want_ _to_ _remember_ _him_. _Was_ _he_ _being_ _hopelessly_ _naïve_ _in_ _believing_ _that_ _their_ _love_ _would_ _last_? _He_ _didn_'_t_ _want_ _to_ _believe_ _that_ _she_ _had_ _forgotten_ _him_ — _about_ _their_ _dreams_ _of_ _a_ _life_ _together_ — _but_ _the_ _more_ _he_ _asked_ _about_ _Kagome_'_s_ _life_ _in_ _Canada_, _the_ _friends_ _she_ _made_, _the_ _co_-_workers_ _she_ _had_, _the_ _more_ _he_ _felt_ _her_ _slipping_ _away_… _H__ope_ _died_ _in_ _his_ _chest_ _when_ _he_ _heard_ _about_ _that_ _Kazuki_ _bastard_; _the_ _one_ _who_ _saw_ _his_ _Kagome_ _every_ _day_, _who_ _now_ _shared_ _her_ _life_, _her_ _thoughts_, _and her_ _dreams_.

_He_ _went back_ _to_ _the_ _Feudal_ _era_. _He_ _still_ _made_ _the_ _occasional_ _trip_ _back_ _to_ _Kagome_'_s_ _time_ _to_ _keep_ _track_ _of_ _her_, _but he_ _never_ _confronted_ _any_ _of_ _her_ _family_. _He_ _knew_ _they_ _were_ _holding_ _back_ _telling_ _him_ _things_ — _he_ _could_ _sense_ _it_. _So_ _he_ _lurked_ _in_ _the_ _shadows_ _and_ _overheard_ _bits_ _of_ _conversations_ _now_ _and_ _then_. _They_ _were_ _more_ _honest_ _when_ _they_ _thought_ _he_ _wasn_'_t_ _around_.

_The_ _last_ _time_ _he_ _went back_… _hell_, _it_ _still_ _hurt_ _too_ _much_ _to_ _think_ _about_ _that_ _night_. _He_ _came_ _back_ _and_ _saw_ _her_ _with_ _him_ _in_ _their_ _tree_. _Another_ _man_ _was_ _holding_ _her_, _touching_ _her_… _how_ _could_ _she_? _Was_ _he_ _that_ _replaceable_? _It_ _never_ _occurred_ _to_ _his_ _numbed_ _brain_ _that_ _he_ _was_ _seeing_ _another_ _hanyou_. _That_ _thought_ _wouldn_'_t_ _occur_ _to_ _him_ _until_ _years_ _later_. _By_ _then_ _it_ _was_ _too_ _late_.

_He_ _was_ _heartbroken_. _He_ _went_ _back_ _to_ _the_ _Feudal_ _era_ _and_ _tried_ _to_ _forget_ _her_. _Then_ _she_ _came_ _back_ _through_ _the_ _well_ _again_ _and_ _his_ _spirits_ _lifted_. _The_ _week_ _she_ _spent_ _in_ _the_ _Feudal_ _era_ _with_ _him_ _and_ _their_ _friends_ _was_ _like_ _a_ _beacon_ _of_ _light_ _and_ _a_ _flicker_ _of_ _hope_ _reappeared_; _a_ _hope_ _that_ _was_ _abruptly_ _crushed_ _by_ _her_ _news_ _that_ _she_ _was_ _getting_ _married_.

_He_ _had_ _begged_ _her_ _to_ _stay_. _She_ _told_ _him_ _to_ _let_ _her_ _go_. _When_ _she_ _went_ _through_ _the_ _well_, _he_ _tried_ _to_ _follow_ _her_, _but_ _he_ _couldn_'_t_. _She_ _had_ _made_ _sure_ _of_ _it_. _He_ _was_ _devastated_ _and_ _sunk_ _into_ _a_ _black_ _depression_ _that_ _even_ _his_ _feudal_ _friends_ _could_ _not_ _lift_. _He_ _became_ _bitter_ _and_ _jealous_, _but_ _he_ _lived_. _Over_ _time_, _that_ _bitterness_ _grew_ _into_ _sorrow_. _It_ _was_ _bitterness_ _that_ _he_ _could_ _swallow_ _and_ _sorrow_ _that_ _he_ _could_ _bury_. _He_ _made_ _a_ _new_ _life_, _a_ _life_ _without_ _her_, _and_ _he_ _never_ _looked_ _back_.

The telephone rang, startling Yash out of his memories.

"What the hell are you doing? Get down here now!" Sesshomaru practically roared into the receiver. Yash flattened his ears to the side of his skull and cringed at the anger emitting from the phone. Sesshomaru rarely ever showed his emotions, and for him to do it meant that he was angry, really, really angry. _Shit_.

Quickly hanging up the phone, Yash gathered the files and stuck it in his briefcase before heading out the door. Pausing in the doorway, he closed his eyes.

_I_ _can_ _do_ _this._ _I_ _can_ _do_ _this_.

_Dammit_, _I_ _can't_!

_Yes_, _you_ _fucking_ _can_!

He took three deep breaths and opened his eyes, coldness seeping into his amber gaze. He hardened his heart. With purpose and precision, he headed down to the meeting.

* * *

A/N: Thank you to everyone for reading and for those who left reviews - I greatly appreciate it!


	5. Lingering Betrayal

Disclaimer: InuYasha is owned by Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan Inc. and Viz Media. Story and all original characters created are owned by me.

**Chapter 4: Lingering Betrayal**

-x-x-x-x-

_He_ _took_ _three_ _deep_ _breaths_ _and_ _opened_ _his_ _eyes_. _Coldness seeped_ _into_ _his_ _amber_ _gaze. He_ _hardened_ _his_ _heart_. _With purpose and precision_, _he headed down to the meeting._

-x-x-x-x-

Kagome slammed her palm down on the clock radio as it blared at her. Groaning, she rubbed her eyes and stared at the flashing red numbers: 7:30 am. After saying their good-byes to her mother the night before, she and Kazuki had returned to her hotel room and had collapsed on the sofa. Kaz had declared that he was famished and had cajoled her into ordering room service. Fueled with a late night snack, they had spent most of the night talking and joking, with Kagome filling Kazuki in on her Feudal adventures.

After having to practically shove Kazuki from her room, she stumbled to her own bed at 1:00 am. After lying awake for another hour thinking about InuYasha, and formulating a plan on how and when to go back through the well to see him again, she finally succumbed to sleep at 2:30 am.

Now, five hours later, Kagome was regretting her late night. Sure, she could stay up late and get away with it when they were in Canada, but they had a meeting in two and a half hours with the owners — owners who could pull the plug anytime on their project, and she did absolutely nothing to prepare for the meeting.

Groaning as she pulled herself out of bed, she stumbled to the bathroom. She brushed her teeth before she turned on the shower taps. Standing under the hot, spraying water, she willed herself to wake up. She washed her hair and shaved her legs before she exited the shower and headed into the bedroom.

After drying her hair, she opened up the armoire and contemplated what outfit she would wear. Finally deciding, she put on a starch, white cotton dress shirt. She quickly did up the buttons, leaving the top two undone to show off her swan like neck. She put on a charcoal pinstripe jacket and slipped on the matching skirt. Rummaging through her jewelry case, she found a string of fresh water pearls with matching earrings. After securing the jewelry into place, she proceeded to fix her hair. Twisting her hair into a bun at the nap of her neck, she secured it with a grey turtle shell comb. Sliding a delicate gold bangle onto her wrist, Kagome perused her image in the mirror.

Satisfied that she was ready for the meeting, she slipped on a pair of dark grey pumps. She was about to go out in search of Kazuki, when he beat her to the punch and knocked on her door. Smiling, Kagome glanced at the clock — 8:00 am — before opening the door to her friend. If anything, Kazuki was always punctual.

"God, you look great, Kagome. So business like." Kazuki grinned lazily at her as he leaned against the doorframe.

Kagome raked her eyes up Kazuki's tall frame. He was wearing a black Hugo Boss suit that hugged his muscular frame. An onyx coloured dress shirt peeked out behind his opened jacket. He had put on a silver-tipped, black tie in honour of the meeting. His usually unruly, shoulder-length black hair was neatly slicked back behind his ears.

Reaching out and straightening his knot, Kagome smiled up at him. "You're not looking so bad yourself. Nice tie by the way. I didn't know you owned one."

"Look at us. If we were home, we'd be in our sweatpants and t-shirts. All dressed up to impress some bigwigs."

"Well, first impressions are important," Kagome said as she reached for her purse. Taking a stack of folders off the coffee table, she handed them to Kazuki who tucked them into his briefcase.

Straightening up, he turned to Kagome and gave her a bright smile. "Ready to go?"

Kagome blanched. "Yes, like sheep to the slaughter."

Laughing lightly, Kazuki tucked Kagome's hand under his arm and steered her towards the doorway. "Well, let's get breakfast first. Then they'll have well fed sheep!"

-x-x-x-x-

After a leisurely breakfast and a quick stroll around the outdoor atrium, Mitsuru showed up at 9:30 to drive them to the Takahashi building. Winding through the streets, Kagome was surprised as they sped past the downtown core. Asking Mitsuru about it, she was told that because of the nature of their business, the Takahashi Group was on a private compound located on the outskirts of the city. Mitsuru further explained that the Takahashi Group also dabbled in other experiments that required absolute secrecy, including huge contracts with the National Army.

When Kazuki inquired about how the Takahashi Group contributed to the National Army, Mitsuru clammed up and changed the subject. Kagome couldn't help but giggle as Kazuki arched an eyebrow at her at the obvious avoidance of the subject.

They pulled up to the main building fifteen minutes later. The Takahashi building was, in reality, several separate buildings with multiple complexes throughout the grounds. After checking in with the security guard, they proceeded into the parking lot.

The car lurched suddenly as Mitsuru abruptly slammed on the brakes to avoid hitting a motorcycle driver who swerved in front of them.

"What the hell…" snarled Kazuki as his briefcase and Kagome's purse went flying, and they were jerked back into their seats; held in by their seatbelts.

Kazuki looked briefly at his companion. "Kagome, are you all right?"

"I'm fine." Kagome breathed heavily as her heart thumped loudly in her chest.

"I am so sorry, Dr. Higurashi, Dr. Matsumoto. My sincere apologies! Are you both all right?"

"Yes, Mr. Sato, we're fine," assured Kagome with a tight smile.

Kazuki reached down to collect their items off the floor and snarled at Mitsuru, "Who the hell was that? He should be reported."

"Umm," stammered Mitsuru. "That was… um… Mr. Takahashi."

"The owner?" Kazuki asked incredulously. Mitsuru kept silent as he parked the car at the curb and opened the door for them.

"Well, nice to see that he's so interested in getting to our meeting on time," Kazuki said sarcastically as they watched the helmeted figure run into the building.

Mitsuru shifted uncomfortably, suddenly finding his shoes fascinating as he kept his attention on the ground. "Ah… well, it's actually his brother, the other Mr. Takahashi, who is the CEO and …ah…"

"It's all right, Mr. Sato." Kagome smiled reassuringly at him, while shooting a look at Kazuki. Kazuki caught _the_ look and remained silent as Mitsuru led them into the building.

Mitsuru checked them both in at the security desk. While Kazuki was filling in their visitor forms, Kagome noticed a streak of silver disappearing into an elevator.

_Inu…_ Kagome thought as her heartbeat quickened. She mentally shook her head. She was thinking of him so much that she was beginning to see him everywhere. She quickly squashed that thought as she scanned the lobby.

She was surprised to see various youkai walking around, scanning their passes and exiting through one of several doors located throughout the lobby. Seeing Kagome's interest, Mitsuru said, "It's a security measure that we have. Everyone who works here must check into the system by scanning their identification passes before they are allowed into the complex."

"But how do they know if a pass is stolen?" interjected Kazuki as he deposited the completed forms at the security desk.

"Each individual's youki is tied to the pass, so it's impossible to duplicate it or use one that is not yours," Mitsuru announced proudly. "Mr. Takahashi prides himself in state-of-the-art technology."

Kagome nodded. "That makes sense. What about those doors that everyone is going through?"

"The doors lead to various areas of the complex. I am sure you will be given a tour later."

Kagome turned and gasped, "Mr. Sato, you're a raccoon youkai!" Turning, she looked at Kazuki. "Kaz, you're in your hanyou form!"

Mitsuru explained, "There is a concealment barrier over the entire compound. It deactivates all youki transformation devices. However," he looked at Kazuki, "we must all still keep our charms on. This is strictly company orders."

Kagome nodded. "That explains the strange vibrations I felt coming into the area."

Mitsuru looked at Kagome strangely, prompting Kazuki to explain, "Kagome is a miko."

"Ah, that explains a lot of things." Mitsuru looked at Kagome respectfully. "Only those with strong spiritual powers can feel the concealment barrier."

Kagome was going to question him about what he meant by 'a lot of things' when a weasel youkai approached them and bowed.

"Dr. Matsumoto, Dr. Higurashi?"

"Yes," Kazuki answered.

"My name is Rini Youshida. Welcome to the Takahashi Group." The youkai bowed again and handed them each a visitor pass. "Please keep these passes with you at all times. We have a high level security system in place, and this pass will allow you access throughout our compound." She waved towards a set of glass doors. "Please follow me."

"I will leave you here in good hands. Dr. Matsumoto, Dr. Higurashi." Mitsuru bowed politely before he exited out the front doors.

Kagome clipped her pass on as Kazuki whispered in her ear, "Ready or not, here we come." Kagome stifled a giggle as they passed through the doors.

Kagome was amazed at all the security throughout the building. Rini wasn't kidding when she said that their pass was important. Virtually every entrance in every area required you to scan your identification before you were allowed in.

They exited the elevator, passed an outer desk, and were led to a door on the far side of the floor. Scanning her pass, Rini opened the door and explained, "This is the boardroom where the meeting will be held. She ushered them through the door and smiled brightly at the couple already standing in the room.

"This is Dr. Juro Watanabe and Dr. Sakura Nishi of the Takahashi Group," she introduced, "and this is Dr. Kazuki Matsumoto and Dr. Kagome Higurashi from the Matsumoto Corporation."

The foursome bowed to each other and smiled, silently sizing one another up.

After an initial grunt of reply, Dr. Watanabe looked bored as he perused the various paintings hanging around the room. _Too bad he seems so snobbish_, Kagome thought. _He would be rather good looking if he would just smile or seem a bit interested in the proceedings_. He was the oldest doctor in the room — in his mid thirties — with short cropped hair, and to Kagome's surprise, a pair of black rimmed glasses. _A_ _youkai with glasses?_ Well, that was a new one. Kazuki must have had the same thought as he gave Kagome a smirk.

Trying to keep a straight face, Kagome turned to Dr. Nishi. The young youkai seemed more approachable. Dr. Nishi smiled brightly at them. "Welcome to the Takahashi Group." She bobbed her head, her black hooped earrings swinging against her long, silver hair.

"Thank you." Kagome smiled back.

"How are you enjoying your stay in Japan?"

"I'm originally from Japan," Kagome corrected. "I have just been living in Canada for the past five years."

"Oh… Higurashi… Higurashi… Are you related to the Higurashis from the shrine?"

"Yes, my mother and brother run the family shrine."

"Oh, I've been there before. It's very lovely."

"Thank you."

Dr. Nishi turned to Kazuki. "And you, Dr. Matsumoto, are you originally from Japan as well?"

Kazuki turned on his charm and smiled broadly at the doctor. "No, I'm Canadian born and bred. I have been to Japan on numerous occasions though. It's like a second home to me."

Dr. Watanabe turned his attention to the trio and scoffed, "I don't understand why the Matsumoto laboratory base is in Canada anyways."

"Canada is less congested and has more land. Its government also has quite lenient laws and welcomes foreign business. It works out quite well," Kazuki replied smoothly, deciding not to get into a disagreement with the obviously confrontational Dr. Watanabe.

The slight tension was broken when the door opened behind them.

"Mr. Takahashi."

Kagome had a sense of foreboding as she pasted a smile on her face, and turned to face the owner… and froze. Her mouth dropped slightly as she watched the inu-youkai approach her.

"Oh Kami…." Kagome whispered as Sesshomaru Takahashi stood in front of her.

"Kagome, how nice to see you again." Sesshomaru bowed slightly, hiding an inner smirk as he watched the woman in front of him recoil in horror. After all, the last time she saw him, she was jumping out of the way of his Tokijin sword while they were defeating Naraku.

Kagome stared up at the youkai, willing herself not to step backwards in intimidation. The clothing was different — an immaculate black Giorgio Armani suit replacing the white kimono — but the predatory gaze and the powerful aura was unmistakable.

"Ah…"

Kazuki, sensing Kagome's distress, stepped in front of her. "Mr. Takahashi, I'm Dr. Kazuki Matsumoto." He bowed formally. Glancing at his partner, he squeezed her arm encouragingly. "This is Dr. Kagome Higurashi."

Kagome had gathered her wits by then and stepped forward. "Forgive me, Mr. Takahashi, I was just… surprised to see you." Kagome bowed, frantically trying to steady her heart rate.

The other youkai in the room looked at her strangely. _Well_, _no_ _wonder_, she thought, _they_ _can_ _all_ _hear_ _how_ _fast_ _my_ _heart_ _is_ _beating_ _and_ _can_ _probably_ _smell_ _my_ _anxiety_ _too_. _Damn_, _off_ _to_ _a_ _great_ _start_.

"Juro, Sakura." Sesshomaru nodded to his associates. He glanced around the room and noticed the absence of one hanyou. _Damn_, _can_'_t_ _that_ _baka_ _ever_ _do_ _as_ _he_'_s_ _told_?

"Please excuse me for a moment," Sesshomaru said as he briskly left the room, closing the door behind him. He grabbed the phone off the startled secretary's desk, and punched in his brother's number. "What the hell are you doing? Get down here now!" he growled into the receiver before slamming it down.

He smirked at the shocked expression on the secretary's face. "Mrs. Ito, if you could please bring in some tea for our guests."

He strolled back into the room as his secretary stammered, "Y-yes, Mr. Takahashi… right away, sir…"

Sesshomaru re-entered the room. Ignoring the growing tension he felt, he gestured for them to take a seat at the long teak table.

Everyone waited until Sesshomaru sat down at the head of the table before taking their own seats. Rini sat down to Sesshomaru's immediate left. Kazuki followed suit by sitting down next to her. Kagome sat down beside Kazuki, leaving Dr. Watanabe and Dr. Nishi to take the seats opposite them. The seat to Sesshomaru's right remained empty.

Mrs. Ito hurried in with a tray of tea and placed the refreshments on the table.

Kagome felt a sinking sensation in the pit of her stomach as she looked at the empty seat. _His brother, the other Mr. Takahashi…_ Mitsuru's words rolled in her mind as her heart began to beat faster, and only one thought flowed through her, _InuYasha_.

As if conjuring the hanyou with her thoughts, the door abruptly opened, and in strode Yash. The hanyou glanced around the table — eyes quickly skipping over Kagome —before he sauntered to his seat.

Kagome followed him with wide eyes and watched him gracefully slide into his chair. His hair was still long and beautiful, but it was neatly trimmed and not as wild looking as it had once been. It was tied loosely and cascaded elegantly down his back. His shirt was a brilliant reminder of the red fire rat robe he used to wear, and it made Kagome hitch her breath in memory. _He_'_s_ _still_ _alive_. _After_ _500_ _years_, _he_'_s_ _here_. Kagome's shocked brain registered that fact as she stared at him. He looked a little older than she remembered; more in his late twenties than late teens. The slightly childish contours of his face were gone; his cheekbones were more refined, and his face had a leaner, angular look to it.

He looked so… so polished. Gone was the boy she loved so much, running wild in the forest in his red hoari. In its place was a cultivated, handsome, young man. Kagome had never imagined that he could look so good in modern clothing. Never once, in all the time she had known him, had he worn anything remotely modern. To see him in his obviously named brand clothes, Kagome was in a bit of a shock. She could not take her eyes off of him. He looked so good, and she drank in the sight of him.

A slight snicker from across the table brought Kagome out of her daydreams, and she looked at Dr. Watanabe as he smirked at her. A slow, heated blush graced her face, and she bowed her head in embarrassment, not daring to look at Kazuki to see his reaction on her obvious staring.

"Now that everyone is here," Sesshomaru said, eyeing Yash coldly, "we may proceed with the meeting."

Rini made the introductions. "Mr. Yash Takahashi, this is Dr. Kazuki Matsumoto and Dr. Kagome Higurashi from the Matsumoto Corporation."

Yash inclined his head and stared frigidly at Kazuki and Kagome. Kazuki curtly nodded back.

"_Dr. _Higurashi," Yash practically spat out. "How _nice_ to see you again."

Kagome was shocked at the amount of venom in the words thrown at her and visibly paled. "Inu —"

"It's just plain Yash," the hanyou growled, "but you can call me Mr. Takahashi."

Kagome gasped as if she was slapped in the face. _After_ _all_ _these_ _years_, _he_ _was_ _still_ _angry_ _with_ _her_! _She_ _was_ _so_ _elated_ _to_ _see_ _him_. _Wasn_'_t_ _he_ _at_ _least_ _a_ _little_ _happy_ _to_ _see_ _her_? _Oh_, _Kami_! Another thought hit Kagome like a ton of bricks. _InuYasha_ _was_ _her_ _boss_! _He_ _left_ _her_ _because_ _she_ _had_ _chosen_ _her_ _job_ _and_, _all_ _along_, _she_ _was_ _working_ _for_ _him_! _Oh_, _the_ _irony_ _of_ _it_ _all_! She didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Kazuki sat beside his colleague and became enraged at Yash's rude behavior. He didn't know what the hell was going on. Kagome and Yash obviously knew each other. Wait a minute, did Kagome just begin to say Inu…? _InuYasha_, the jackass that Kagome had been pining after? Kazuki looked sharply at her, but she still had her head bowed. He glared back at Yash. Kagome still might love that bastard, but that didn't give him the right to treat her like that. How dare he?

"Mr. Takahashi, we came here on good faith to discuss our current project. We did not come here to be insulted," Kazuki said coldly.

"He meant no offense, Dr. Matsumoto," Sesshomaru interjected, glaring at his brother to behave. "We are just surprised at Dr. Higurashi's presence here. We never expected to see her again."

Kazuki raised his eyebrow at that cryptic answer. "The Takahashi Group is our major shareholder. We've been working on this project for the past five years. A project that you have been kept updated on, including information on its primary research chairs, and you didn't realize Kagome was one of them?" he challenged.

Kagome blanched at the hardness in Kazuki's voice. _He_'_s_ _furious_. _If_ _I_ _don_'_t_ _calm_ _him_ _down_ _now_ _this_ _meeting_ _will_ _fall_ _apart_, _and_ _we_ _can_'_t_ _afford_ _to_ _do_ _that_! She laid her hand on Kazuki's arm, noticing the tension underneath the suit.

"Kazuki," Kagome said shakily. "It's all right. We're here to talk about our work, _please_." She looked pleadingly at Kazuki to calm down.

Yash internally seethed as he watched Kagome touch Kazuki. She was_ fucking _reassuring him, with her _fucking_ soft voice, looking at him with her _fucking_ brown eyes. A terrible rage began to fill him and he saw red. A low growled erupted beside him, and he glanced at Sesshomaru, and his rage receded. The inu-youkai looked like he was ready to kill him. Mentally shaking the haze around his head, Yash grimaced. _Where_ _the_ _hell_ _was_ _his_ _self-control_? _Fuck_! _All_ _his_ _self-restraint_ _flew_ _out_ _the_ _window_ _as_ _soon_ _as_ _he_ _entered_ _the_ _room_ _and_ _saw_ _her_. _He_'_s_ _acting_ _like_ _a_ _teenager_. _He_ _hasn_'_t_ _been_ _in_ _a_ _mind_ _losing_ _rage_ _in_ _centuries_. _He_ _sure_ _wasn_'_t_ _going to_ _start_ _now_, _especially_ _not_ _with_ _her_ _and_ _that_ _bastard_ _sitting_ _there_.

He leaned back in his chair and rested his elbows on the armrests. Clasping his hands together lightly, he insincerely said, "My apologies. I meant no offense."

Kazuki was about to retort when he felt Kagome's hand tighten on his arm. He took a deep breath. For her and for their work, he could do this. "Apology accepted," he gritted out.

Sesshomaru looked around the table at the faces ranging from shock to outright delight and sighed. The hanyous were glaring at each other, while Kagome looked confused and flustered. The trio were in their own little world and did not seem to notice that there were three others in the room hanging onto their every word. The gossip mill would be churning as soon as this meeting let up. Sesshomaru sighed again. Not exactly the way he wanted to start things. "Kagome is right. We are here to discuss the project, not get sidetracked into other business." He glanced sharply at Yash.

After that initial bump in the beginning, the rest of the meeting progressed smoothly — or as smoothly as possible — with the disgruntled group. Kagome sat there trying to avoid eye contact with Yash while the hanyou kept making sarcastic remarks and glowering at Kazuki, silently vowing to disembowel the bastard as soon as he had the chance. Kazuki pointedly ignored the other hanyou. Rini constantly looked towards Sesshomaru to gauge how her boss was handling the situation and trying to follow suit. Dr. Watanabe smiled mockingly at their guests, trying his damn best to flare the flames between the two hanyou. Dr. Nishi was the only one trying to keep the meeting on track, doing most of the talking and asking questions about the research. After a very long hour, the meeting was coming to a conclusion, and Sesshomaru braced himself for the fireworks that were yet to come.

"The work you have done over the past five years is very commendable," he began. "However, it has come to our knowledge that the Hatanaka Corporation has been conducting their own research into hanyou transformations and is launching their findings in two months."

"But their project is inconclusive," argued Kazuki. "They are using moth youkai DNA to fuel their transformations. Our studies show that moth youki is too volatile and will not hold the transformations long enough."

"It may be so, but they are preparing to release their findings. Once they do, this will turn the attention of the youkai business community onto the Takahashi Group. They will wonder why _we_ have not released our results, our _incomplete _results," he emphasized.

Kagome flinched at the jab. "Our team is already working relentlessly and putting in too many hours as it is," she protested. "We can't ask them to do anymore."

"That is precisely why we are giving you a new team to work with."

"What?!" Kagome and Kazuki said at once.

"This project has been elevated to priority status, and it must be expedited for obvious reasons. We need the best possible team working on this."

"Kagome and I _are_ the best in the field," said Kazuki heatedly.

Dr. Watanabe gave a short bark of laughter before challenging, "How can she," he raised a finger at Kagome, "be the best in a field meant for youkai, especially a _human girl_."

"Kagome's a miko, a powerful one at that," snarled Kazuki, jumping in to defend his friend.

"A miko," jeered Dr. Watanabe. "We have many miko working for us. What makes her so special?"

"Because she is the only human who has survived two attacks by this Sesshomaru," reprimanded the inu-youkai grimly.

Dr. Watanabe gasped as he stared at Sesshomaru, opening and closing his mouth like a gaping fish. Dr. Nishi and Rini both looked at Kagome in awe as InuYasha scowled and looked straight ahead.

Kagome avoided looking at Kazuki. She knew he was going to want an explanation later for _that _one. She addressed Sesshomaru, "We have worked very hard on this project and will continue to do so. We are almost there."

"Almost is not good enough," Sesshomaru countered. "You need a better team of people to assist you in your efforts."

"That's not true —"

"How dare you say that —"

"Because it is true. If it wasn't, it wouldn't have taken you five years with no results," Yash cut in sarcastically.

Kagome clenched her fists and glared at InuYasha. As the meeting progressed, her initial trepidations turned to hurt, then to anger as InuYasha belittled and berated her, Kazuki, and their project. How dare he try to sabotage her hard work — the very work she lost _him_ for! She had enough with InuYasha's attitude. Granted, they did not part on the best of terms, but his seething hatred was uncalled for, unexplainable.

"It is not only the people you surround yourself with, but also the equipment," interjected Sesshomaru smoothly. "We have state-of-the-art technology in this facility. It and its resources will be at your disposal. You will still be in charge of the project and will direct it as you see fit."

"Wait a minute. What do you mean _this_ facility?" Kazuki said hotly.

"You will re-locate your research here using our facilities and our people." Sesshomaru inclined his head towards the pair sitting directly across from Kagome and Kazuki. "Juro and Sakura will be on your team."

Dr. Nishi smiled brightly. "We would be honoured working with you. The research you have been conducting is fascinating and I, for one, am excited to be on your team."

Dr. Watanabe snorted, but remained silent at the warning glance from Sesshomaru.

"We already have a team, a damn good one," Kazuki protested one last time.

"But not as good as us," Dr. Watanabe answered smugly.

Sesshomaru contemplated a moment before turning to Dr. Watanabe and Dr. Nishi. "Juro, Sakura, thank you for attending this meeting. You may go back to your work. I believe we can finish up our discussion here without you." He glanced pointedly at Juro who flushed under the scrutinizing stare of the inu-youkai.

Dr. Watanabe and Dr. Nishi stood up and bowed before they exited the room. Yash made to get up as well, but was stopped by a short growl, "Yash, you stay."

Yash glared at his brother and flopped back down on his seat.

Sesshomaru turned to his secretary. "Rini, please take these files and have copies made."

"Yes, Mr. Takahashi." The weasel youkai took the folders held out to her and bowed before hurrying from the room.

Sesshomaru waited until the door was closed before he turned his attention back to Kagome and Kazuki. "Let me make myself clear. This matter is not up for discussion. If you wish to continue to lead this project, you will do so from here and work with whomever we choose," he said with finality.

"Is that a threat?" challenged Kazuki. He stood up, palms on the table, and leaned towards Sesshomaru. "I don't take idly to threats. This is our project and damn if I let you take it from us."

"Kaz…" Kagome said nervously, eyeing Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru leaned back and stared at Kazuki. A smiled played on his lips. "Dr. Matsumoto, you have an uncle, I believe, a Mr. Haru Matsumoto who's a general in our National Army."

"Yes." Kazuki answered suspiciously. "What does that have to do with this?"

"I know him rather well, a very formidable adversary. Tell me, Dr. Matsumoto, do you take after him or your father?"

Kazuki weighed the question before answering, "Both. I am both a scholar like my father _and _a fighter like my uncle."

A fleeting smile left Sesshomaru's lips. "I see."

"Keh, stop beating around the bush, Sess. Just tell them that we're taking over the project with or without them," snapped Yash.

Sesshomaru glared at Yash but inwardly he sighed. Yash was right. When the hell had he become so placating? 500 years ago, he would have demanded instant compliance. Anyone who did not do his bidding without question would have been at the receiving end of his poison claws. He must be getting soft. Looking up, he caught Kagome smiling wryly at him as if she was thinking the same thing.

Kagome gripped Kazuki's arm and pulled him slightly to sit back down.

Kazuki turned to frown at his partner. "Kags, you think we should listen to these two? This is our project. Like hell I'm going to just hand it over to them."

"I don't think that it's their intention to take it away from us." She looked over at Sesshomaru who nodded slightly. "I think we just need to calm down and discuss this rationally without our emotions getting in the way." _Ha_! _Easy_ _for_ _her_ _to_ _say_ _when_ _her_ _own_ _emotions_ _were_ _raging_ _out_ _of_ _control_. She just hoped that she could control the rapid beating of her heart enough not to be noticed by the youkai in the room.

She dispensed all formalities. "Sesshomaru, please excuse us if we do not seem grateful. We are. Without the Takahashi Group's investment, our project would not have gotten off the ground in the first place. We do not mean to be contradictory. You just caught us by surprise. We were on the premise that we were brought here to update you on our research, not to be told that we had to finish our project here in Japan." She glanced quickly at Kazuki. "Of course, we wish to continue working on this project. It's important to us to finish it."

"Keh, nothing is more important to you than your work, now is it?" Yash said snidely.

Kagome gulped and paled at his words. This time, the jab was too close to the truth, too close to the guilty whispers that she heard in her heart in the darkness of the night.

She squeezed Kazuki's forearm to repress the sharp retort she knew was on his lips. Closing her eyes briefly, she swallowed the lump in her throat. Ignoring Yash's derogatory remark, she continued to address Sesshomaru, "How long do you expect us to stay here?"

Sesshomaru gave an elegant shrug. "As long as it takes to find a solution. Our advisors inform us that we should make counter statements to the Hatanaka Corporation's findings in two months."

Kazuki gave a frustrated sigh. "Two months? You expect us to complete this in two months? Something we've worked on for five years?"

"Yes."

Kazuki looked at him incredulously. "You're asking the impossible."

"Perhaps, but it will be done and," he braced himself for the other explosion, "Yash will oversee the project."

"What the fuck?!" yelled a very livid hanyou. "You've got to be kidding me! There's no way in hell— " He stopped in mid tirade by the look Sesshomaru gave him.

"Yash, you will be charge. You are a hanyou. You, like all hanyou," he looked over to include Kazuki, "have the greatest stakes in the success of this project."

Yash bit back his furious retort. _Damn_ _sadistic_ _bastard_.

"You just said Kagome and I would be in charge." Kazuki was rallying up for another outburst.

"You will be in charge of the research on a daily basis," Sesshomaru confirmed. "It is yours to run as you see fit. Yash will simply oversee the project and be given daily reports on your progress."

"A watchdog, eh?" Kazuki grinned evilly at Yash. "How appropriate."

"What the hell does that mean?" Yash snapped at the insult thrown at him.

"Nothing, nothing at all." Kazuki held up his hands, but couldn't contain the smirk on his face.

"Keh…" Yash looked away, trying to steady his nerves. The more the meeting progressed, the more he couldn't keep his eyes of Kagome. She looked _so_ damn good. Her dark, luxurious hair was held up in a bun, but he could remember the silky feel of her tresses; of running his hands through her hair as he kissed her luscious full lips. The way her eyes smouldered with desire… damn! He had to get these fucking thoughts out of his head! Seeing her interact with that Kazuki bastard was unbearable. His youki was raging a war inside of him, and his nerves were stretched to the limit. He was as taunt as a bow string, and any little thing would snap him. It took every ounce of his self control not to grab Kagome and rip Kazuki into shreds. He thought he could handle this, but as the meeting progressed he felt his resolve erode away.

"Now, if we are done discussing the project." Sesshomaru leaned towards Kagome. "I would like to know how it is that you are here, Kagome."

Kagome tensed. She didn't even pretend ignorance of what the inu-youkai was asking. The last time he had seen her was 500 years ago when they defeated Naraku. To suddenly show up in his future must have been a little unnerving, even for a powerful youkai like Sesshomaru. Kagome nervously gnawed her lower lip. "Well, it's a rather long story —"

"She fell through a fucking well and went back 500 years, that's how," hissed Yash.

Kagome shifted her eyes to Yash and met his anger. Her eyes shone bright with unshed tears. "Why are you being so mean, InuYasha?" She didn't mean to blurt that out. She couldn't help herself. There was only so much insult and innuendoes she could take, especially from him whom her heart had never forgotten.

"Keh, you should know, bitch."

"Now look here you asshole, don't talk to Kagome like that!" shouted Kazuki, slamming his fists down onto the table.

"I can call her whatever I damn well please!" Yash roared back, his thinly veiled emotions exploding. All the pent up anger and bitterness inside of him spewed forth like an erupting volcano. He abruptly pushed his chair back and stood up, towering over Kagome. "I don't fucking like the idea of you working for me. If I had my way, you would be sent back to Canada. You fucking left me and I won't ever forget that!" He had to get out of there before he did something truly unforgivable and foolish. He stormed towards the door.

Kagome choked out, "InuYasha, I'm sorry —"

He whipped around, his eyes ablaze in anger. "Don't be sorry. Don't be anything!"

He ripped the door off of its hinges and stormed out, leaving a shocked silence in his wake.

Rini stood in the doorway as the angry hanyou pushed past her, mouth opened in surprise.

Sesshomaru sat there calmly and looked shrewdly at the young miko. No, he did not know what went wrong with the couple. There was a time when his brother would have died for the miko, and the miko would have defended him until the ends of time. It looked like that had all changed. When his brother showed up on his western lands, 500 years ago without the miko, he simply thought she had died. This idea was re-enforced when InuYasha refused to speak about her. It was like she simply did not exist. Obviously, she did not die. She was simply from the future which was now, of course, their present. _How interesting_.

Kagome sat, shocked at the violent outburst from Yash. Guilty threads of sorrow weaved through her heart, latching onto her, and pulling her down into the dark recesses of her soul. Her lips began to quiver as she shakily asked where the washrooms were located.

Rini looked at her in sympathy as she directed the distressed young woman down the hallway. Kagome excused herself and walked out of the room, trembling as numbness seeped through her body.

Sesshomaru and Kazuki followed her. Both felt the waves of torment flowing from the girl's aura.

"Kagome …" Kazuki reached his hand out helplessly as he watched his friend bolt down the hall.

"Kagome." Sesshomaru's voice was quiet, but its authority carried down the hallway.

Kagome stopped at the command from the inu-youkai.

"I do not know what happened between you and my brother. You know his temper and the way he shoots his mouth off. He does not always mean what he says. You, of all people, know this."

Kagome didn't turn around, but nodded slightly, her voice quivering, "Thank you, Sesshomaru."

Sesshomaru watched as she continued down the hallway, not stopping until she reached the washroom. _Damn_ _you_, _Yash_. He would have to talk to that baka brother of his, but he had better wait until he calmed down or else they might re-live one of their infamous battles. How the gossip mongrels would love _that_.

Pulling the door open, Kagome went into a stall and promptly threw up her breakfast. She convulsed several times, heaving until her throat was raw. She slid down onto the floor, her eyes dry and her heart broken. The expression that fleetingly appeared on Yash's face while he raged at her would forever be etched in her mind. It was despair. _He_ _couldn_'_t_ _forgive_ _her_. _He_ _couldn_'_t_ _forget_ _that_ _she_ _had_ _left_ _him_ _for_ _a_ _job_. _The_ _betrayal_. _Oh_, _Kami_, _what_ _had_ _she_ _done_? _After_ _500_ _years_, _he_ _still_ _hated_ _her_.

-x-x-x-x-

Yash stomped back into his office, slamming his door so hard that a few cracks appeared at the corners.

_Bloody_ _fucking_ _bitch_! _Why_ _the_ _hell_ _did_ _she_ _have_ _to_ _show_ _up_ _and_ _fuck_ _up_ _his_ _life_ _again_! Yash gripped the edges of his desk, his clawed fingers raking deep gouges into the shiny surface. He clenched his eyes trying to fight off the onslaught of fury and jealousy that was threatening to overwhelm him. He was _not_ fucking jealous. To be jealous, he would have to care, _and_ _he_ _didn_'_t_ _care_, _dammit_! He didn't care what she fucking did and who she did it with. A red haze clouded his eyes at this last thought. _That_ _fucking_ _Kazuki_ _bastard_! If he had stayed there one second longer, he would have ripped that bastard's heart out. Tear it out like his was torn out so many long years ago.

He slowly lessened his grip on the table, his breath coming out in ragged spurts. _What_ _the_ _hell_ _was_ _wrong_ _with_ _him_? He thought he could handle seeing her again. Yet the moment he stepped into that room, all rationale faded away, and he was the uncertain, scared hanyou that he used to be. As he sat in the meeting, deep rooted feelings of rejection poured out of the depths of his soul. 500 years later, and he still couldn't let go.

_But_, _shit_,_ she_'_s_ _the_ _one_ _who_ _fucking_ _left_ _me_ _for_ _another_ _man_! _Now_ _I_'_m_ _supposed_ _to_ _forget_ _that_ _she_ _broke_ _my_ _fucking_ _heart_ _and_ _just_ _forgive_ _her_? _No_ _fucking_ _way_! _I_ _should_ _just_ _fire_ _her_. _Take_ _that_ _precious_ _project_ _away_ _from_ _her_. _See_ _how_ _she_'_d_ _like_ _that_.

_But_… _but_, _I_ _can_'_t_ _fucking_ _do_ _that_. _That_'_s_ _petty_ _and_ _mean_ _and_ _shit_! _She_'_d_ _be_ _so_ _hurt_.

_So_, _who_ _fucking_ _cares_? _I_ _don_'_t_!

Yash waged an inner war with his emotions. Part of him wanted to strike out at Kagome, to hurt her as much as she hurt him. The ugly feelings reared their heads demanding payment for the pain endured. But the other part, the part that had once shielded Kagome from all dangers, recoiled at the thought of ever hurting the girl he had once sworn to protect.

For someone who had suppressed all of his emotions for centuries, it was all coming down to a grinding halt. He had always buried his feelings, never once confiding in anyone. After all, Kagome was the only person he could ever talk to about such things.

He didn't know what to do.Yash grabbed his head, his claws squeezing into his skull as if he could crush the answers out.

_Fuck!_ If he didn't get out of here, he would go crazy. With that thought, he yanked open the door and headed towards the adjoining woods. He had to get outside; he had to run. Whether he was running from Kagome or from his inner demons, he didn't know. He just knew he had to get out of there.

-x-x-x-x-

Forty-five minutes later, Kagome emerged from the washroom, pale and listless.

Kazuki was waiting for her in the hall. He immediately went to her and hugged her. "Kagome? Kagome, are you okay?"

He stared worriedly at her ashen face, at the blank look she was giving him. "Kagome, talk to me. Snap out of it." He shook her slightly.

Hearing Kazuki's concern broke the dam around Kagome's heart, and tears streamed down her face as she buried herself in his arms.

Kazuki gently steered her towards the elevator. Leaning against her friend, Kagome managed to move her feet. She didn't recall how she got there, but she found herself in the front lobby. She exited the main doors, strong steady hands guiding her.

The lack of sleep and the shock of the meeting finally took its toll on Kagome. The grief threatened to overwhelm her and pull her down a path of desolation. She clung onto Kazuki as if he was her saviour. She felt as if a tidal wave that would sweep in and drag her down into the murky depths of her tattered soul.

Kazuki guided the sobbing girl into the waiting car and held her as they sped back to the hotel. He cradled her as if she was fragile glass about to shatter into a million pieces. He whispered assurances in her ear, hugging her close. Rocking her like a child, Kazuki continued to hold her long after she fell into an exhausted sleep. He wished that he had the power to cure her broken heart and felt helpless as he watched his best friend mentally, emotionally, and spiritually break down.

-x-x-x-x-

Yash ran. His hair whipped in the wind and his breath was ragged with grief. He ran as if demons were chasing him, and perhaps they were. After a while, he slowed down until he found himself walking back to the building.

He remembered the way they had parted in the Feudal era. The way he had clutched at her, begging her to stay. The image burned into his mind. Yash clenched his fists and his jaw tightened.

When he first entered the room, he saw unbridled joy light up in her as if she was happy to see him. It was all a farce. If she had picked _him_, if she would have loved _him_ more, she would never have left him. She never would have declared her love for another man. She never would have sealed the well. He was tired — tired of these games that shattered his heart into little pieces.

The anger drained away leaving him feeling deflated and empty. He sighed wearily as he trudged his way back into his office. He ignored the secretary as she tried to relay Sesshomaru's message that he wanted to see him.

He walked over to the window and stared out, seeing only images from his past. He was still standing there as the sky turned a crimson red. Hours after the sun set, Yash wearily pushed himself off the wall and headed home. It wasn't until much later, in the privacy of his home, drenched in darkness, Yash finally gave into the despair.


	6. Regrets on the Wind

Disclaimer InuYusha is owned by Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan Inc. and Viz Media. I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That) – Song by Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman. I do not own InuYasha or the song and I don't make any monies from this. Story and all original characters created are owned by me.

**Chapter 5: Regrets on the Wind**

-x-x-x-x-

_He_ _walked_ _over_ _to the window and stared out, seeing only images from his past_. _He was still standing there as the sky turned a crimson red_. _Hours after the sun set_, _Yash wearily pushed himself off the wall and headed home_. _It wasn't until much later, in the privacy of his home, drenched in darkness, Yash finally gave into the despair. _

-x-x-x-x-

_**Three Years Earlier**_

Kagome Higurashi stood at the well looking down into the deep recesses, wanting so badly to take that final jump, but she hesitated.

How many times did she stand here at the well feeling the pull of both eras? The first time, she had to choose between her sense of duty to InuYasha and the Shikon no Tama and her obligations to her family and school. Now, she had to choose between her love for InuYasha and her obligation to her research.

In the end, wasn't it all really the same? A means to an end? If she hadn't completed the sacred jewel and defeated Naraku then her family and her future would have been vastly different. It was the same thing now. If she didn't stay in Canada and continue her research then her future with InuYasha would be vastly different as well.

She couldn't go to him now, not until she had accomplished what she had set out to do. The only problem was that she may never be finished. There was always the next important project, and how could she turn her back on that?

_I_ _would_ _do_ _anything_ _for_ _love  
__I_'_ll_ _never_ _lie_ _to you,_ _and_ _that_'_s_ _a_ _fact_…

_Anything_ _for_ _love  
__Oh_, _I_ _would_ _do_ _anything_ _for_ _love_

_Some_ _days_ _it_ _don_'_t_ _come_ _easy  
__And_ _some_ _days_ _it_ _don_'_t_ _come_ _hard  
__Some_ _days_ _it_ _don_'_t_ _come_ _at_ _all_, _and_ _these_ _are_ _the_ _days_ _that_ _never_ _end_…

_As_ _long_ _as_ _the_ _planets_ _are_ _turning  
__As_ _long_ _as_ _the_ _stars_ _are_ _burning  
__As_ _long_ _as_ _dreams_ _are_ _coming_ _true  
__You_'_d_ _better_ _believe_ _it_,_ that_ _I_ _would_ _do_

_Anything_ _for_ _love  
__And_ _I_'_ll_ _be_ _there_ _until_ _the_ _final_ _act  
__I_ _would_ _do_ _anything_ _for_ _love_ _and_ _I_'_ll_ _take_ _a_ _vow_ _and_ _seal_ _a_ _pact_ …

_Some_ _days_ _I_ _pray_ _for_ _silence  
__And_ _some_ _days_ _I_ _pray_ _for_ _soul_…

_Maybe_ _I_'_m_ _lonely_, _that_'_s_ _all_ _I_'_m_ _qualified_ _to_ _be  
__That_'_s_ _just_ _one_ _and_ _only_, _one_ _and_ _only_ _promise_ _I_ _can_ _keep_

_Anything_ _for_ _love  
__And_ _you_ _know_ _it_'_s_ _true_ _and_ _that_'_s_ _a_ _fact  
__I_ _would_ _do_ _anything_ _for_ _love_, _and_ _there_'_ll_ _never_ _be_ _no_ _turning_ _back_ …

_But_ _I_'_ll_ _never_ _stop_ _dreaming_ _of_ _you_ _every_ _night_ _of_ _my_ _life_, _no_ _way  
__And_ _I_ _would_ _do_ _anything_ _for_ _love_, _but_ _I_ _won_'_t do that_…

Fueled by dreams of hanyou babies, Kagome slowly backed away from the edge, and turned her back on the well.

_I_'_m_ _so_ _sorry_, _InuYasha_.

-x-x-x-x-

_**After the Meeting**_

Kazuki took Kagome back to her hotel room. He was stressed, tired, and his head pounded with recent events. After repeated assurances to Mitsuru that Kagome would be fine, the raccoon youkai scurried to wait by the car, muttering about reporting back to Sesshomaru.

Shaking his head as he turned his attention back to immediate concerns, Kazuki put Kagome into bed, slipping off her jacket and shoes, and tucked the covers under her chin. He stood for a few moments, silently watching her. Even in sleep, her face showed the tension of the last few hours, the occasional grimace gracing her features. She mumbled incoherently, and he caught a few words… _InuYasha_… _sorry_, _so_ _sorry_… She thrashed a few times before falling silent.

Kazuki leaned down and swept her sweaty bangs off of her forehead. He sighed as he lightly traced the tear tracks down her pale cheeks. In all of the years that he had known her, she was always in control, always confident and determined in her beliefs. She was one of the strongest people he had ever met. To see her now, a broken weeping shell of the Kagome he knew, broke his heart. There was nothing he could do for her, _except_ _maybe_ _kill_ _that_ _fucking_ _Yash_ _bastard_. He didn't think Kagome would be too happy about _that_, he laughed hollowly to himself. She was his best friend, and she needed him. There was nothing he could do except be there for her and be her friend. That he could do — that he _would_ do.

He left Kagome's room, ensuring that the door was locked before he headed back down to the lobby. He had to talk to Sesshomaru.

-x-x-x-x-

Kagome opened her eyes and squinted into the dim room. She licked her cracked lips, rasping as she tried to salivate into her dry throat. Moaning as she rubbed her heavy eye lids, she heaved herself into a sitting position. Glancing at the clock flashing on the night stand, she grimaced. It was 7:00 in the evening. She had slept the whole day away. She had no recollection on coming back to the hotel or how she had ended up in bed.

Stumbling from under the covers, she pulled off her wrinkled shirt and skirt and kicked off her panty hose. She grabbed a water bottle from the night stand and gulped down the cool, fresh liquid before she slumped back down onto the bed.

Her analytical mind slowly crept to the surface as she tried to objectively rehash the day's events. She frowned, _no_ _wonder_ _she_ _was_ _in_ _shock_. She saw InuYasha alive after all of these years, and then found out that they had only two months to find a solution for "Transformation Hanyou". Kagome rubbed her face tiredly. Add InuYasha's blow up and her mental breakdown to the equation, well… If she could have a do-over, today was definitely the day to have one.

_InuYasha_. She closed her eyes briefly as she remembered the look on his face before he stormed out: the rage, the fury… the despair. The never-ending pain prickled at the corners of her heart. She was so sorry, so damn sorry for the way things turned out. She never meant to hurt him like that. If she had a chance to do it over again, she would. Twelve hours ago, the answer seemed simple and clear cut. She would have gone through the well and tried to soothe things over, but now… Now she couldn't. The faint echo of Kaz's words from the night before rang in her ears … _Time_ _continuum_ _dilemma_, _you_ _go_ _back_ _and_ _change_ _things_ _and_ _the_ _future_ _we_ _know_ _right_ _now_ _shifts_ … Now that she knew that InuYasha existed in this time period, she couldn't go back. If she went back and changed things, then Yash Takahashi or the Takahashi Group might not exist. No, she wouldn't dare take that chance.

She threw an arm over her eyes, trying to keep her emotions in check. Five years ago, if she had chosen a different path, if she had stayed with InuYasha, where would she be now? They would have been married, maybe had a baby. That thought made her chest ache. _A baby_. Yes, she probably would have been a mother by now. She would have been happy, happy until they kept losing their children. The harsh reality of the time would have ended their happiness in heartache. She knew that now.

Her tears hovered beneath her lashes, threatening to overflow. With all of the tears she had shed over the years when she thought about this, she would have thought the well was dry. Yet the pain was never-ending, especially when faced with the reality of her decision. The fact was that by trying to protect the man she loved, she had instead pushed him away and made him hate her.

She tried to reign in her tears. No, she couldn't keep crying over this. It was her decision, but Kami, she didn't mean to hurt InuYasha like that. She never thought… Well, it doesn't matter now what she thought.

The reality was that even though he was the one who gave her the ultimatum and left her, in the end, she had simply let him go. She had left him as well, left him without an explanation.

She had to talk to InuYasha. She had to ask for his forgiveness and try to make things right. She flinched as she remembered his harsh words: _Nothing_ _is_ _more_ _important_ _to_ _you_ _than_ _your_ _work_. The sting of the truth cut into her heart. He was right, somewhat. _He_ _doesn_'_t know_ _the_ _truth_… Little whispers filtered through her… _What_ _if_ _he_ _knew_ _the_ _truth_, _would_ _he_ _forgive_ _me_? _But_ _if_ _I_ _tell_ _him_ … _no_, _I_ _can_'_t_ _tell_ _him_ … _I_ _don_'_t_ _want_ _to_ _hurt_ _him_ _anymore_ …

The more involved she became in her research, the more she realized how severe the problems were, and the more resolved she was to contribute in any way she could. After all, how could she really be happy with InuYasha if she knew the problems and heartaches that they would eventually endure?

The things she did — the people she helped — it was all so important. But at what price? At the cost of her own heart — at the cost of hurting the one person she loved. Was it worth it? _Yes_, a little voice whispered deep inside of her. Yes, it was when she thought of all the little hanyou children and their families that she helped with her research. How could that be wrong?

No, she wouldn't change the past. Not even loving InuYasha was worth turning her back on those children who needed her research to survive in this world. She had to sacrifice her own heart in order to continue helping others. And if she and InuYasha were the only ones hurt, what did that matter in the whole scheme of things? What did it matter compared to the hundreds of hanyou lives she saved? Yet if she could, she would have changed how she handled the situation. She should have told InuYasha the truth about her research. That one mistake — withholding that information, wanting to keep from hurting him — was what cost her to lose his love. It was a mistake she would regret for the rest of her life.

No, she couldn't have told him the truth, not then. He grew up surrounded by prejudice and taunts of his "tainted hanyou blood." How could she have told him that it was this very blood that kept them apart? He would have been devastated. _I_ _wanted_ _to_ _protect_ _him_ _from_ _the_ _truth_, _to_ _help_ _secure_ _our_ _future_ _together_. _If_ _I_ _explained_ _it_ _to_ _him_ _now_, _would_ _he_ _understand_? _Would_ _he_ _forgive_ _me_? Kagome laughed bitterly as the sting of tears welled up in her eyes. _Does_ _it_ _matter_ _now_? _How_ _can_ _I_ _ask_ _him_ _to_ _forgive_ _me_ _after_ _500_ _years_? _Does_ _it_ _matter_ _if_ _he_ _forgives_ _me_ _as_ _long_ _as_ _I_ _say_ _I_'_m_ _sorry_?

She rubbed her eyes tiredly. The events of the past few days, coupled with the lack of sleep, were wearing on her. She felt like she was fifteen again, the way her emotions kept fluctuating like a rollercoaster.

She slipped on a robe and padded into the sitting area. A small lamp table was turned on, casting shadows in the dimly lit room. Kagome stopped at the site of the black hair flowing over the sofa's arm rest. Sighing with resignation, she approached Kazuki. He was sprawled out on the sofa, still in his shirt and pants, his suit jacket carelessly flung to the floor.

Kagome knelt by her friend and watched him as he slept. _Dear_, _dear_ _Kazuki_. What would she do without him? For the past five years she tried burying herself in her work, not giving herself a chance to reflect on her lonely life or the decision she made. But Kazuki was always there, like a bright shiny star, pulling her out of the daily drudges of life. He made her laugh and kept her from falling into self pity. He never asked for anything in return. He was always just there for her, like he was there for her now.

As if feeling the weight of her stare, Kazuki's eyes fluttered open. He looked up at Kagome and gave her a tired grin. "Hey, sunshine, feeling better?"

Kagome returned a small smile. "I am."

Kazuki sat up and watched as Kagome went over to the fridge and pulled out a couple of juice bottles. Handing him one, she sat down beside him and tucked her legs underneath her.

Holding onto his orange juice with one hand, Kazuki leaned over and gave Kagome a brief hug before settling back against the couch. "Hell of a day, huh?"

Kagome merely nodded.

Kazuki silently observed Kagome's downcast eyes and slumped shoulders. "Want to talk about it?"

"Not really…" At Kazuki's glum expression, she smiled weakly. "But I will."

Kazuki wearily rubbed his face. "Shit, Kagome. I've never seen you like that before. Are you sure you're all right?"

"I… I was just in shock, but… yes, I'll be all right," she replied softly as she fiddled with her juice bottle.

"So… you really love that bastard?"

Kagome breathed out a heavy sigh. "Kazuki…"

"Well, what else would you call him?" Kazuki said defensively, raking a hand through his tousled hair and glaring at the girl. "He was acting like a complete asshole. How do you put up with that shit?"

Kagome shook her head. _How_ _does_ _she_ _explain_ _it_ _to_ _him_? "He had every right to be angry at me. We didn't part on the best of terms, and I should have — should have explained why I left. I didn't, and now I'm paying for it."

"It still doesn't give him the right to treat you like that, Kags."

Kagome looked at him somberly. "Kaz, you've grown up surrounded by a family who loves you. You've never endured hardship or fear. No one has ever tried to hunt you down and kill you just because they thought you had tainted blood. You've never been scorned or beaten or betrayed. You've never been _alone_."

When he made to interrupt, she held out her hand. "Let me finish. InuYasha has been all those things. He's been hunted since he was a little boy, shunned and ostracized, without anyone to love. He's always been on his own, and the two women he's ever had in his life both betrayed him." Kagome paused. "And through it all, he still retained his humanity. He still retained his capacity for caring, for helping those weaker than himself. Deep down inside, he cares, he truly cares. I've seen him take an orphan kitsune cub under his wing and accept the companionship of three humans. He cared for us, protected us, loved us… loved _me_. How would you feel if the woman you loved betrayed your trust?"

Kazuki lowered his head and looked abashed. "Yeah, but does he have to be such an asshole?"

Kagome frowned at him. "While I can't condone his words and actions, I do understand why he's like that." A faraway look graced her features as her eyes glazed with some unknown memory. "I always have."

Shaking herself and coming back to the present, she smiled wryly. "Sesshomaru's right. InuYasha doesn't always mean everything he says. It's his defense mechanism. When he feels threatened or backed into a corner, and he can't use his brute strength, he uses his tongue instead. It's his only available weapon."

"But, Kags, he was rude and arrogant. He went way over the boundaries. How can you defend him when he called you names like that?" A sudden thought occurred to him and he narrowed his eyes at her. "Kagome, he wasn't abusive to you, was he?"

"No!" Disbelief and outrage etched her face. "He's always protected me!" Kagome fumed at him, resenting that he would suggest such a thing.

Kazuki shrugged apologetically. "I'm sorry, Kags. I just had to ask."

You know…" he began hesitantly as he trod on icy ground. "It has been 500 years, maybe he's not the same person you once knew."

"I know he isn't," Kagome said sadly. "He's bitter and hurt, and he can't forgive me."

"Kagome, I didn't mean that."

"Then what did you mean?" she said sharply. She softened her tone when she saw her friend cringe. "Deep down, he's the same man I fell in love with. I can see it in his eyes."

A small knife lodged itself into Kazuki's chest at her heartfelt defense of Yash. _Why_ _the_ _hell_ _is_ _she_ _defending_ _that_ _bastard_? "Oh really? All I saw was an asshole who disrespected you and didn't give a shit about our project."

Kagome was stung by her friend's opinions. She stood up, ready to end the conversation. "Then obviously you weren't looking hard enough."

Kazuki shot a hand out to detain her. "Kagome, I'm sorry. Let's not fight. I just can't understand why you love that ass… him. Why are you defending him?"

Kagome sighed and gave him a small, tight smile. "I was fifteen when I fell through the well. Going 500 years into the past and seeing what I saw? Doing unimaginable, life-threatening things? It was enough to shock anyone's system. But there was InuYasha. He was always there for me. Before our friends joined our group, it was just him and me for the longest time. We shared experiences no one would ever understand. He was my protector, my friend. He was my knight in shining fire rat armour. He was _mine_."

Kagome looked out the window at the night sky, trying to formulate her thoughts into words. Finally, she went to get her purse that was lying on the desk. Digging around, she finally pulled out a photo. Silently handing it to Kazuki, she waited until he raised his eyes to meet hers. "Do you remember them? The first hanyou babies?"

Kazuki looked down at the photo. Two small baby faces were pressed together with little furry ear tips peeking up through the blankets. "Camryn, Reece… Of course, I remember them, Kags."

Kazuki turned questioning eyes at her as he held the photo out.

Kagome smiled warily and took the photo from him. Staring down silently at the two precious faces, Kagome lightly traced the contours of their baby cheeks. "I remember them each and every day. They are the reason I keep going. The reason I never came back to Japan. I can admit it now. I did InuYasha a great injustice, not by leaving, but by not explaining why I did. I was young and stupid. I was too scared back then. I thought I was protecting him from the truth. I realize now that I should have trusted him by telling him my reasons for taking the job."

She sighed and carefully put the photo back into her purse. "If he's furious at me and yells at me, I deserve that. I don't regret taking the job. The work we've accomplished, the things we've done… No, I can't regret that, not when it's helped so many others, but I do regret the way I handled things, the things I left unsaid." Kagome looked down at Kazuki, her eyes misted with pain.

Kazuki still couldn't understand her reasoning. "Okay, so you didn't explain things to him, that doesn't make you wrong. It takes two to argue. You shouldn't let the guilt eat you away, and you shouldn't have to pay for it. Kagome, besides my mother, you are the strongest, most determined woman I know. Why would you subject yourself willingly to his scorn? Why would you accept his anger like that?"

She looked at Kazuki sadly. "I knew how hard it was for him to put his faith in anyone. He believed in me and, in his eyes, I betrayed that trust by moving away and leaving him. I didn't even trust him enough with the truth. If I have to shoulder the blame and his fury to atone for the hurt that I've caused him, then I will."

Kagome moved away and softly padded to the bathroom.

Kazuki's quiet voice broke the silence. "Why would you do that?"

Kagome paused and bowed her head, her voice barely a whisper. "Because I love him. I've loved him since I was fifteen years old."

"He doesn't deserve you."

Kagome looked back at him, her eyes dark and unreadable. "No, you're wrong. I don't deserve him."

Kagome entered the bathroom, quietly closing the door behind her.


	7. Anything for Love

Disclaimer: InuYasha is owned by Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan Inc. and Viz Media. Story and all original characters created are owned by me.

**Chapter 6: Anything for Love**

-x-x-x-x-

_Kagome_ _looked_ _back_ _at_ _him_, _her_ eyes _dark_ _and_ _unreadable_. "_No_, _you_'_re_ _wrong_. _I_ _don_'_t_ _deserve_ _him_."

_Kagome_ _entered_ _the_ _bathroom_, _quietly_ _closing_ _the_ _door_ _behind_ _her_.

-x-x-x-x-

Yash walked into his office early the next morning to the same scene as the morning before with his brother sitting casually at _his_ desk.

"Are you going to be here to greet me every morning?" he growled as he set down his briefcase.

"Yash, we need to talk."

Yash slouched into a chair and kicked up his feet onto the desk, staring sulkingly. "Keh, about what?"

"Dr. Matsumoto came to see me yesterday afternoon."

"What did that bastard want?"

"_InuYasha_…" growled Sesshomaru warningly, effectively shutting the hanyou up. "He was worried about Kagome. After the meeting, she was not herself."

"Well, who the hell was she then?" Yash scorned. He was in no way making this easier for his brother. He had one hell of a night, and he wasn't in the mood to be cooperative.

Sesshomaru pierced Yash with an icy glare. "Yash, you are a baka, but you are not as stupid as you appear. Her breakdown yesterday had _everything_ to do with you. Fix it."

"Look, Sesshomaru." Yash was getting angry. "It's none of your business. You have no right —"

"Kagome is a powerful miko. She's a _spiritual_ scientist who understands the inner workings of youkai and is an _ally_ in youkai causes. Do you realize how rare that is?" demanded Sesshomaru.

"Keh —"

"Do you realize how valuable an asset she truly is? The Hatanaka Group would love to have her on their payroll." Sesshomaru sighed. He had to make his baka brother understand. "I've looked over the research Kagome has done for the Matsumoto Corporation. Her track record is impeccable. The projects she has contributed to speak for themselves. We can not afford to lose her and," he emphasized with a glare, "we can not afford to have her mentally break down on us. We _need_ her."

Yash shot at his brother a dirty look and didn't bother to reply. Inwardly, he cringed when Sesshomaru mentioned her breakdown.

"Look at the work she's done. Her research is currently being implemented in the youkai world." Sesshomaru looked thoughtfully at his brother. "The area in which she concentrates her efforts may surprise you. Talk to her." Sesshomaru got up and headed towards the door. "I have asked Kagome and Kazuki to come back this morning for a tour of the facilities. We also need to discuss a few things that were overlooked yesterday for obvious reasons."

He gave Yash a pointed look. "I am sure the opportunity will present itself for you to talk to her." His tone made no room for argument.

At Yash's continued silence, Sesshomaru held up his hand threateningly; ready to beat some sense into his baka brother. "_InuYasha…_"

"All right, all right," muttered the hanyou, giving in ungraciously.

Sesshomaru left his office with explicit instructions to 'fix it'. _Damn bastard_ _brother of_ _mine_.

He sat at his desk pondering Sesshomaru's words. It made him uneasy to hear that Kagome had a breakdown and that he was the cause of it. Damn, just hearing about her in such a fragile state drove daggers through his heart.

It was just too much, seeing her again. He knew he was tormenting her at the meeting — that each sarcastic and derogatory remark he had made was hitting its mark with the way she would flinch and flounder. He was, in fact, surprised that she didn't snap his head off. There was a time she wouldn't have put up with his demeaning behavior, a time she would have "sat" him to the ground. In fact, throughout the whole meeting, he saw only one spark of anger in her eyes. Then as fast as it appeared, it dissipated. Yash couldn't help but to wonder what had happened to the girl he loved so much that she would meekly accept his antagonistic behaviour.

He turned on his laptop and logged into the company's secured personnel files. He accessed the Matsumoto Corporation data, found Kagome's personal files, and started rifling through the information. There were numerous scientific articles that praised the work she and Kazuki had completed. It was research that helped hanyou children who, over the years, had diluted youkai blood that didn't enable accelerated healing.

The more Yash read through all the accolades and scientific awards, the more he felt pride well up within him. Kagome always had a generous nature and a big heart. She was always the first to help someone in need. The work she had accomplished over the years helping hanyou — especially hanyou children — could not be denied. Even now, she was relentlessly trying to perfect a transformation charm to benefit all hanyou, including himself.

Yash felt the beginnings of guilt creep into his heart at the way he had treated her. He berated, embarrassed, and shamed her all because of the way he felt she treated him: choosing a job over him, choosing someone else to love. All of a sudden, he felt small, very small. All this time she had selflessly done great things for the youkai world, and he criticized her for it?

He continued reading through her projects. All of them met with success and acclamations in the scientific youkai world. There was research helping hanyou children with nerve ending transfers; assisting children who were crippled by accidents; helping children born of hanyou and human parents fight against immune deficiencies… This last one gave Yash pause.

He pulled up the research files and quickly scanned the information. It was a project that Kagome had completed three years ago. That would mean it was one of her first projects at the Matsumoto Corporation. A fleeting memory played at the edges of his mind as her voice floated up from his consciousness… _This_ _will_ _ensure_ _our_ _future,_ _InuYasha_. _Please_ _understand_. Is this what she meant, long ago, when she tried to explain that she was doing this for them? Children born to hanyou and human parents… immune deficiencies… high infant death rates… securing their future...

_Securing_ _a_ _future for_ _the_ _children that they_ _would_ _one_ _day_ _have_.

Yash sat there in shock, the breath knocked out of him. All this time, he had thought she had left him for a job and that she had chosen her work over him. And all the while, she was doing it all for _them_, for their future. _Why didn_'_t you tell me_, _Kagome_?

He closed his eyes and exhaled. _She_ _was_ _working_ _towards_ _a future_ _for_ _the_ _both_ _of_ _us_. _Why_ _didn_'_t_ _I_ _trust_ _her_? _How_ _could_ _I_ _have_ _ever_ _doubted_ _her_? _She_ _must_ _have_ _hated_ _me_ _for_ _leaving_ _her_. His sharp claws dug into the flesh of his hands. Yash ignored the seeping blood as he tried to quench the feelings of guilt that flooded his body. _No wonder I_ _lost_ _her_. _No_ _wonder_ _she_ _turned_ _to_ _Kazuki_.

Jealousy gnawed at him and he swallowed hard. Even as his mind tried to reason with him, his envious emotions barged their way in. Is this how she felt when he always went off with Kikyo? The jealously, the resentment? And yet, she never threw it back in his face. She never begrudged his happiness. Never… never acted the way he was acting.

Yash stilled as realization splashed him like cold water. Kagome had always loved and believed in him, and all he did was scorn and humiliate her. The way he treated her yesterday! Shame flooded him as he recalled her shocked face at his harsh words.

He was just hurt, so damn hurt, when he saw her with Kazuki – the way she touched him and looked at him. She had an easy camaraderie with Kazuki; one that she used to have with _him_. He fought against the stranglehold threatening to bind his chest.

His thoughts were interrupted by a brief knocking at his door. He grunted a reply and his secretary walked briskly in, coffee in hand. He nodded his thanks and waited until she closed the door before he expelled a shaky breath.

Ignoring the coffee, he closed the articles on his desktop and opened up a folder labeled 'photos'. A barrage of images popped up on his screen. They were obviously taken at corporate events and functions. There were photos of Kagome standing among her peers in a laboratory; Kagome surrounded by hanyou children laughing as they piled on top of her; Kagome wearing a cowboy hat, holding a stack of pancakes, in front of a sign that read 'Matsumoto Stampede Breakfast'; Kagome with a group of hanyou children standing in front of a picturesque mountain; Kagome laughing as champagne sprayed all around her as she celebrated some obvious success; Kagome cradling two inu-hanyou babies…

Yash closed his eyes and swallowed the lump in his throat. The last photo made his heart ache. Kagome was holding two hanyou babies, her expression soft and tender, with Kazuki's arm around her shoulders…

The expression on her face in this photo didn't match the others. In previous photos, while she was smiling, the smile didn't quite reach her eyes. There was a perpetual sadness lingering in their depths, but this one… this one she actually radiated joy. She looked so happy, so… so content.

What caused the brightening of her eyes in this photo that was missing in all the other ones? Was it the babies? Was it Kazuki…?

Yash's shoulders slumped and with a heavy heart, he tried to be objective. Did Kazuki make her happy? Did he protect her? The answer was yes from what he saw in the meeting. Kazuki came to her defense against _him_. The thought of someone protecting Kagome from him, as if he was the threat, made him laugh bitterly. The role of Kagome's protector, one that he had always cherished and that had always been his, was now another hanyou's. It made Yash Takahashi, the strongest hanyou around, want to weep.

She had obviously made a life for herself; a life that no long included him, and could he blame her for it? He was the one who gave her the ultimatum and left. Why didn't she explain the reason she was taking the job in the first place? He would have understood. Hell, he would have encouraged her to go, as long as she came back to him. But no, she didn't explain, and he jumped to the wrong conclusions and left her. Granted, he was on his way back to apologize, but hell, she didn't know that. In her eyes, he left her with no choice. Staring at the babies, he could understand her reasoning. The death rates of infants from hanyou and human parents were alarmingly high… _Why_ _didn_'_t_ _you_ _tell_ _me,_ _Kagome_?

Trying to compose his emotions, he tiredly rubbed his eyes. How could he have fucked things up so badly, and how the hell would he fix it? So many damn years were lost because of miscommunication.

He had pushed her away. Granted, he did that enough during their time in the Feudal era, but Kagome — Yash smiled wryly — ever the forgiving wench that she was, always came back. _Why_ _did_ _I_ _think_ _that_ _time_ _wouldn_'_t_ _be_ _any_ _different_? _You_ _stupid_ _bastard_, _you_ _just_ _assumed_ _Kagome_ _would_ _come_ _back_ _to_ _you_. _There_ _are_ _only_ _so_ _many_ _times_ _you_ _can_ _push_ _her_ _away_, he berated himself mentally.

He stared at the screen. Photos of Kagome and Kazuki burned into his mind. What could he offer her now that she didn't already have? Did she run immediately into Kazuki's arms when he left her? Did she find comfort there? She had been working with Kazuki for five years, the same amount of time that she had been with him. Did she compare Kazuki to him? Did she compare how they both treated her? Yash laughed harshly. _Well_, _I_ _know_ _who_ _won_ _that_ _contest_.

He couldn't help but to feel bitter. He lost Kagome because of communication problems. Now, if yesterday's meeting was any indication, now it was too late. He knew what was to come. After all, he lived it, didn't he? She was going back through the well soon, and then she'll declare her love for another man. _Kazuki_… He could still hear Kagome's voice… _I_'_m_ _marrying_ _the_ _man_ _of_ _my_ _dreams _…

The thought made Yash blanch. How the hell would he stand it? How could he stand by and watch her marry someone else? To be with someone else? Have a family with someone else? He thought his heart could not break any further, but just thinking these thoughts made the pain so unbearable that he physically wanted to retch.

On the heels of these thoughts came the feelings of rejection. It was a feeling buried so deep into his heart that it permanently scarred the fragile beat. Would he ever win? Kikyo wanted him in human form. Kagome loved him as a hanyou, but even that wasn't enough. She obviously wanted a _better_ hanyou, and could he really blame her for it? She deserved someone who trusted her, someone who treated her better. Someone like that _bastard_… Damn, if he was going to have to work with that hanyou, he had to stop referring to Kazuki as a bastard. But, he smirked inwardly, _he is_ _one_ — a s_elf-righteous_ _bastard_.

Yash knew his kind. They had everything handed to them on a silver platter with no hardships in life, no heartache, and no struggles. They always got everything in the end, including the girl… His thoughts turned to Kagome again.

Yash sighed wearily. Could he deny her happiness? What kind of selfish bastard was he if he did that? If he truly loved her, shouldn't he wish the best for her? If that meant she was happy with that bas – with Kazuki – shouldn't he allow her that? Just as she allowed him his happiness with Kikyo, so many years ago, before the priestess fell to Naraku? Kagome was always sacrificing her own feelings. Should he reciprocate that for her? Should he tamper down his jealousy and spite for the sake of her happiness?

Yes, he still loved her. He couldn't lie to himself anymore. There was never anyone else, nor would there be anyone else. He sat there feeling the desolation seep through his bones. His youki was crying to him, not wanting him to let go of his pain. His human heart was crying too, but crying for the fact that it knew what he had to do. He had to do what she had asked him all those long years ago. He had to let her go.

-x-x-x-x-

Silence stretched throughout the limousine as it zoomed through the streets of Tokyo. The mood in the vehicle reflected the somber bearings of the two occupants in the back seats.

Kazuki felt bad about berating Kagome's decision, but hell, she was practically asking for that bastard to walk all over her. Did love make her blind? She was intelligent, sharp, witty, yet she was willing to roll over and play submissive to Yash. He just didn't understand her decision.

Kagome, lost in her own thoughts, was thinking about how to apologize to InuYasha. _No_, _Yash,_ she silently reminded herself. _He_ _goes_ _by_ _Yash_ _now_. _I_ _have_ _to_ _remember_ _that_. She smiled wistfully. In her mind — in her heart — he would always be InuYasha.

In the heart of the night, Kagome had promised herself that she would go and apologize. She was to blame, and she would do everything in her power to diminish his pain and anger. She would get down on her knees if she had to and beg for his forgiveness. If he still despised her and she still loved him, well, that was her cross to bear, wasn't it? She could do this. She could because she still loved him. All she wanted was his happiness. He deserved to be happy.

"I went back and had a little chat with Sesshomaru yesterday afternoon." Kazuki broke into Kagome's thoughts.

Kagome turned and looked at her colleague. "Oh, what did you talk about?"

"I refuse to have Dr. Watanabe on the research team. His insolent attitude would be detrimental to our work and I told Sesshomaru that."

Kagome noticed that he was on a first name basis with Sesshomaru, but did not remark on it. _What_ _else_ _did_ _they_ _talk_ _about_? "That's good." Kagome was secretly relieved. She didn't like Dr. Watanabe and was glad that they wouldn't have to work with him. There was enough tension as it was without the pompous attitude of the doctor.

"Sesshomaru agreed and is replacing him with an aspiring, young doctor named Dr. Riku Fujita."

Kagome nodded. "I'm sure we'll meet him today. Did Sesshomaru say when he wants us to start?"

"Yeah, he wants us to come in for the rest of the week to get a feel for things. We officially start on Monday."

Panic crossed Kagome's face. "Monday? But, we didn't even bring enough clothes to last two weeks, much less two months! What about the lab in Canada? What about our files, all our information —?"

Kazuki gently patted Kagome's knee. "Calm down, Kags. I spoke with Father yesterday. Apparently, he was already aware of what was happening. Sesshomaru had called and briefed him about the meeting." One corner of his mouth quirked up in a smile. "Father is couriering everything over to us. He's sending my clothes and he's asked Amaya and Mura to pack some of your things as well. All of our research files will be uploaded onto the Takahashi's mainframe by the end of today."

"But —"

Kazuki smiled ruefully at her. "It's all taken care of. Father is sending our things as we speak, and he'll have someone take care of your place until you return."

Kagome kept silent, a heavy confession lingering in her heart.

Kazuki felt the unsaid words. "Kagome…?"

At her continued silence, he voiced what his heart did not want to hear. "You're not coming back to Canada, are you?" he asked quietly.

"No," was her soft reply.

-x-x-x-x-

The car pulled into the complex and Mitsuru quickly opened the door for them, noticing discreetly that the two doctors were studiously avoiding eye contact with one another.

Rini was waiting for the couple as they entered the main lobby. She smiled brightly at Kagome, her eyes asking the woman if she was all right. Kagome noticed the unasked question and smiled back at the weasel youkai.

Rini politely bowed. "Good morning, Dr. Higurashi, Dr. Matsumoto."

"Please, Miss. Youshida, call us by our first names. We're not so formal in our own laboratory. If we're working here, we would like to be as casual and as comfortable as we were there." Kazuki smiled at her and Kagome nodded her agreement.

The youkai smiled as she reciprocated the favour. "All right… Kagome, Kazuki. Then please call me Rini. I will give you a tour of the facilities this morning and then we'll meet up with your science team later this afternoon. Mr. Takahashi also requests your presence in his office before you leave. He would like to go over the living arrangements with you."

Kazuki raised an eyebrow. "Someone of Mr. Takahashi's stature wants to talk to us about _living_ _arrangements_? Isn't that something he would delegate to someone?"

Rini looked at him with a twinkle in her eye. _Perceptive,_ _wasn_'_t_ _he_? "Normally he would delegate something so trivial like that to me, but he specifically requested to see you. That was the reason he gave me." She shrugged and smiled, obviously used to doing as she was told by her boss without question.

"Now, if you have no more questions…?" Rini extended her arm towards one of doors in the lobby. "Please follow me and we can begin the tour".

"Is Mr. Yash Takahashi in his office?" Kagome hesitantly asked as they followed Rini.

Rini looked at Kagome from the corner of her eye. "He is. Did you wish to speak to him?"

Kagome gulped and nodded. "Yes, if I could…. I would like to see him."

Giving Kagome a half smile, Kazuki said, "Perhaps Kagome could meet with him once our tour is over."

Kagome returned a grateful smile, silently thanking him for his support. The slight strain each felt in their friendship dissolved with one look.

Rini smiled approvingly. "I will see if he's available this afternoon."

Kagome nodded, relieved that she would have the opportunity to see InuYasha before she left. Some of the tension drained from her shoulders as she tried to push the hanyou from her thoughts and concentrated on their tour.

They found themselves in a long corridor with several large picture windows. Rini stopped at one of the windows and explained that this was the historical area of their facilities. Glancing through the window, Kagome noticed several youkai and humans standing around a table studiously studying an object. "What are they looking at?" she asked.

"This group specializes in ancient artifacts that are youkai related. Occasionally, humans will find these artifacts, not realizing their power or potential. An ox youkai ax just came in. It was quite intact and was still humming with youki aura. We were lucky that it ended up here for us to study."

_Hmmm_… _fascinating_, Kagome thought. This facility dabbled in much more than she had first realized.

The rest of the tour consisted of seeing other branches of the establishment, ranging from spiritual departments — where their miko residents were experimenting with barriers — to youkai weaponry, which raised Kazuki's eyebrow as he recalled Mitsuru's hesitant admittance of having military contracts.

Walking through the complex, Kagome noticed that it was artfully decorated with historical paintings. The walls were coloured in hues of caramel and gold. It looked more like a five star hotel than a research facility, Kagome thought.

She peered closely at one of the paintings depicting a Roman Empire scene and noticed the signature at the bottom: _S_. _Takahashi_. Her heartbeat quickened as she studied the painting. Could it be? Her thoughts were pulled away as Rini and Kazuki continued down the hall without her. Hurrying after them, she tucked that last thought away to bring out and contemplate when she had the chance.

After two hours of touring the establishment they made their way outside. The adjoining woods were beautiful and lush. Rini explained that part of their employee program was to provide a safe environment for all of their staff. Since their work was often quite strenuous and stressful, the Takahashi Group provided the employees with various means of relaxation.

The extensive pathway system throughout the outside grounds, combined with the flourishing shrubbery and flowers, made for leisurely strolls. They walked past an archery range, which Kagome showed considerable interest in. There was an arena and court area that Rini explained was open for anyone's use, whether for youkai activities such as sword practice or more mundane human activities such as basketball or tennis. Full-length indoor and outdoor pools also graced the grounds.

Kagome amended her original opinion of the place. It wasn't a hotel — it was a private recreation club.

When asked about how many employees the Takahashi Group had, Rini replied that they currently had 642 employees, with over three quarters of them living at the Takahashi apartments. She pointed to the tall glass tower shimmering at the edge of the compound. She further explained that there were many benefits for staff members who opted to reside at the apartments, one being that the complex was only a short walking distance to work. Another reason, and perhaps the most important of all, was that the apartments were under the concealment barrier. Living in the high rise was a precious luxury for those who valued their youkai freedom.

After the trio stopped for a quick lunch in the cafeteria, they headed down to the hanyou science department.

As they walked through the doors, Dr. Nishi approached them with a big smile. "Dr. Matsumoto, Dr. Higurashi, how nice to see you again." Her pink hoop earrings jingled slightly as she bowed. "And may I present Dr. Riku Fujita. He will be joining our team."

A young, pleasant faced inu-hanyou joined their group. Bowing, he gave them a shy smile and held out his hand. "Welcome Dr. Matsumoto, Dr. Higurashi. I am delighted to be joining your research project. I have followed all of your past works, and I am so happy to finally meet you."

Kazuki firmly shook Dr. Fujita's hand. "Since we will be working closely together for the next couple of months, let's dispense with the formalities. I'm Kaz, she's Kagome."

"Then please call me Fuji," said Dr. Fujita. "No one ever calls me Riku. Fuji is more fitting, like Mt. Fuji." He laughed as he patted his slightly rounded belly.

Kagome and Kazuki joined him in his laughter. Kagome liked him immediately. Quick to laugh with an endearing shyness, Fuji was a welcome addition to the team.

The rest of the afternoon passed in relative ease as Rini left Kagome and Kazuki to get acquainted with Sakura and Fuji. The research chairs gave their new team members a brief summary of their work to date. They would wait until all their files were on hand before they got too in depth.

Rini showed up at 4:30 with a request for Kagome to meet with Yash in his office.

"Kagome, would you like me to go with you?" Kazuki offered, a slight frown crossing his face.

"No, Kaz." Kagome swallowed the lump in her throat. "This is between me and InuYasha."

Kazuki made as if he was going to argue, but kept silent when he saw the determined glint in Kagome's eyes.

"It'll be okay," Kagome murmured, not sure if she was reassuring Kazuki or herself as she pivoted and entered the elevator. She gave Kazuki a small smile as the elevator doors closed.

-x-x-x-x-

Yash paced the floor, trying to control his fluctuating emotions. He had just asked Rini to escort Kagome to his office. He kept putting it off all day until finally he decided he'd better just get it over with, for both their sakes. If he didn't, he knew _damn_ well who he would find sitting in his office chair tomorrow morning.

He wanted to wipe the slate clean and start anew. He was resolved and determined to act cordially around Kagome and to keep his emotions in check. He didn't want to embarrass both of them by declaring his undying love for her, and he sure as hell didn't want her to feel any obligation to him.

He strode towards the door and opened it when he heard the tentative knock.

The two stood there staring at each other, Kagome desperately trying to keep the pleading out of her eyes, and Yash praying for strength not to beg for her love. He cleared his throat. "Thank for you meeting with me, Dr. Higurashi," he said politely. "Please come in."

He had noticed the interested look his secretary gave them. That was all they needed — more office gossip. Yesterday was bad enough with Sesshomaru having his secretary put out brush fires and squashing rumors all day. Sesshomaru had upbraided him for it and, not so subtlety, reminded him not to let it happen again.

Opening the door wider, Yash silently stepped back as Kagome entered his office.

She stood silently fidgeting as Yash closed the door and stood facing her.

The two looked at each other, conveying with their hearts what they couldn't voice out loud… _I_'_m_ _sorry_, _forgive_ _me_, _I_ _still_ _love you_ … Anyone witnessing the two silently staring at each other could see the hunger and longing lingering in their eyes. Anyone but the two involved. Luckily there were no witnesses; it would have definitely been more fuel for the rumor mill.

"Kag —"

"Inu —"

Both began, both stopped. Both smiled shyly at each other. Yash extended an olive branch, and Kagome gladly accepted it.

Clearing his throat, Yash began again, "Kagome, I'm glad you're here. I wanted to apologize for my behaviour yesterday at the meeting. It was uncalled for and unnecessary."

Kagome's eyes shone at the sincerely in Yash's voice. "In…. ah… Yash, ah…um, Mr. Takahashi," Kagome stammered, not quite sure what to call him.

"It's okay, Kagome. I didn't mean what I said yesterday," a_bout_ _anything_, Yash said softly. "InuYasha's fine." He knew he should have asked her to call him by his modern name, but hearing anything but InuYasha from her lips would have just felt wrong.

"InuYasha," Kagome gave him a bright smile that melted his heart, "I wanted to apologize too. The last time we saw each other, when I moved away. I never fully explained why I took the job —"

Yash didn't want to re-hash past events. He didn't want to re-open the wounds in his heart. Better stick to neutral territory. "It's okay, Kagome. I saw the reports. You don't need to explain or apologize." _Right_, Yash thought, _the_ _last time she_ _saw_ _me_ _was_ _before_ _she_ _moved_ _away_. _She_ _hasn_'_t_ _gone_ _back_ _to_ _the_ _Feudal_ _era_ _yet_… His eyes narrowed as a thought occurred to him.

He looked up at Kagome smiling shyly at him, his latest thought flew out of his head as he stared at her clear, brown eyes.

Kagome looked earnestly up at him, her words coming out in a rush, "But I need to tell you how sorry I am, I —"

"I said it's okay. It's in the past. I really don't want to re-live that right now. I don't _need _to re-live it." Yash didn't mean for his tone to sound so curt.

Kagome flinched. She didn't mean to bring up the past, but she wanted to explain. She needed to apologize for hurting him; to tell him that it was all her fault and that she was sorry. _I_ _have_ _to_ _tell_ _him_ _everything_. _The_ _first_ _chance_ _I_ _get_, _I_ _will_. _He_ _deserves_ _to_ _know_ _the_ _truth_. _But he doesn't want to talk about it, and they were talking so cordially up to this point. That was a good thing, wasn't it?_ She didn't want to say or do the wrong thing to upset the unspoken truce between them. Kagome's thoughts were interrupted by Yash delicately clearing his throat.

He winced when he saw her flinch. _Damn_, _he_ _didn_'_t_ _want_ _to_ _screw_ _this_ _up_. "I'm sorry, Kagome. I just don't want to talk about that right now, okay?"

Kagome nodded and clasped her hands in front of her, gnawing at her lower lip. "I- I'm so happy to see you here. How…? I- I never thought… I never thought that I would see you again."

Kagome stared up at the familiar golden eyes that she saw every night in her dreams. She unconsciously flicked out her tongue to wet her lips.

Yash stared mesmerized by the little pink appendage. Taking a deep breath, he forced his eyes away from her mouth. He hardened his resolve and quirked a smile. "Long story short, I survived after 500 years. Sess and I buried the hatchet, so to speak. Got together and built this empire. Not much to tell…" He trailed off as he stared at the way her lips parted. Mentally shaking his head, he walked back to his desk and leaned against it, crossing his arms and ankles as if to ward off the feelings he could feel trying to push their way up to the surface.

"I'm so glad," Kagome said softly. "You… you look good." And boy did he ever, with his white cotton sport shirt tucked into a pair of slightly form fitting black pants. Kagome had to mentally remind herself not to ogle him. Her heart constricted at the sight of him. She was so proud of what he had accomplished, her hanyou… No, she scolded herself, _he wasn_'_t hers anymore_, and that thought made her want to weep. _Get_ _a_ _hold_ _of_ _yourself_. _Don_'_t_ _mess_ _this_ _up_. She took a deep breath to steady her nerves as she continued to stare at him. She peered closer at his neck. _What_ _was_ _he_ _wearing_…_ was_ _that_ _the _…?

Yash noticed the direction of her stare and self-consciously adjusted the rosary peeking out from beneath his shirt. At her surprised look and the questioning raise of her brow, he sheepishly grinned and tried to explain, "I've been wearing this for so long, it just feels natural with it on." He would not dare tell her the real reason, that it was something he treasured beyond anything else he possessed, simply for the fact that it was _hers_. It was the only reminder he had of her, and he would forever wear it, but he wasn't going to tell her _that_.

"Oh." Kagome couldn't keep the grin off her face. After 500 years, he was still wearing the subjugation necklace. Of course, she had taken the spell off years ago, but the fact that he still wore it… It tugged at her heartstrings. _Oh_, _InuYasha_ …

She wanted badly, so badly, to cross the chasm between them and wrap her arms around him – to feel his strong arms around her. She wanted to run her hands through his silver mane to see if it was still as soft as she remembered. She wanted, oh so badly, to touch him…

Yash cleared his throat. _Damn_, _he_ _was_ _doing_ _that_ _a_ _lot_. He just remembered what he wanted to say. Now, how to say it…

"Umm, how's the research going?"

Kagome smiled. "Well, we haven't exactly started yet. Monday is our first official day." As she noticed a blush creeping up Yash's face, she quickly continued, "But we did meet Fuji —"

"Fuji?"

"Dr. Fujita, the newest member of our team." At Yash's blank stare, she couldn't help but grin and tease him, "Dr. Riku Fujita? For the research project? You know, the one that you're _supposed_ to be overseeing?"

Yash mockingly growled as Kagome tried stifling the giggles bubbling up her throat.

"Nice to see you on top of things, InuYasha." Kagome smiled widely at Yash, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

Yash opened his mouth to reply, but the words caught in his throat. He felt a jerk on his heart, a twinge so painful that it took his breath away, as he stared at her smiling up at him. The yearning he felt was so strong, it took all of his will power not to pull her into his arms.

A gentle sigh escaped Kagome's lips and she whispered shakily, "InuYasha? Are you okay?"

His trance broke, and he blinked a couple of times. Smiling apologetically, he straightened up and walked behind his desk. The more distance he could put between them, the better. "Keh, I'm fine. I should let you get back to work, Kagome." He smiled at her to hide the turmoil he still felt. Thank the kami she wasn't a youkai. She would have heard the rapid thumping of his heart. In fact, it was thundering so loudly in his own ears, he missed the fact that hers was pounding just as strong.

Kagome smiled at him wistfully. "Yes, I'd better go. We still have to meet with Sesshomaru." She paused. "I still can't believe how he's mellowed."

Yash smirked. "Who would have thought that stoic bastard had a heart?"

Kagome laughed lightly, the slight tension broken.

It wasn't until she left the room and quietly closed the door that Yash let out the breath he was holding. _How_ _the_ _fuck_ _do_ _I_ _keep_ _myself_ _from_ _grabbing_ _her_? Yash growled, frustrated as he raked his hand through his hair. _Shit_, _this_ _was_ _going_ _to_ _be_ _harder_ _than_ _I_ _thought_.

-x-x-x-x-

Rini escorted them up to Sesshomaru's office at 5:30 for their meeting.

The meeting progressed rather smoothly as Sesshomaru explained that Kazuki and Kagome would room with their science team; Kagome with Sakura and Kazuki with Fuji. This was standard company practice since they would all be working so closely together. It would allow them to get to know one another outside of the office.

Mitsuru already had been informed to move their luggage from their hotel rooms to their respective apartments.

The real reason Sesshomaru wanted to see Kagome was to make sure that she was all right, and he breathed a sigh of relief as she left the meeting. She didn't seem at all tense. She was quick to laugh and was relatively at ease. He knew that she had gone to see Yash earlier. _At_ _least_ _the_ _baka_ _did_ _something_ _right_, he thought as he watched the young woman enter the elevator.


	8. Feudal Memories

Disclaimer: InuYasha is owned by Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan Inc. and Viz Media. Story and all original characters created are owned by me.

**Chapter 7: Feudal Memories**

-x-x-x-x-

_The_ _real_ _reason_ _Sesshomaru_ _wanted_ _to_ _see_ _Kagome_ _was_ _to_ _make_ _sure_ _that_ _she_ _was_ _all_ _right_. _He_ _breathed_ _a_ _sigh_ _of_ _relief_ _as_ _she_ _left_ _the_ _meeting_. _She_ _didn_'_t_ _seem_ _at_ _all_ _tense. She was quick_ _to_ _laugh_ _and_ _was_ _relatively_ _at_ _ease_. _He_ _knew_ _that_ _she had_ _gone_ _to_ _seen_ _Yash_ _earlier_. _At_ _least_ _the_ _baka_ _did_ _something_ _right_, _he_ _thought_ _as_ _he_ _watched_ _the_ _young_ _woman_ _enter_ _the_ _elevator_.

-x-x-x-x-

Sesshomaru knew that the allotted two months he gave them to compete this project was unreasonable. _He_ knew that, but it didn't mean that he still didn't expect results, fast. He realized that he put Kagome and Kazuki at a disadvantage by taking away their own science team from Canada, people they had closely worked with for years. However, he also knew that with everything else, a fresh, new, objective viewpoint was needed. He was hoping that Sakura and Fuji could provide that.

He wanted his newest team to mesh as soon as possible. Therefore, he ordered them all to move into close proximity to one another. Kagome and Sakura received a corner apartment overlooking the river, with Kazuki and Fuji moving in next door. Yes, Sesshomaru was hoping this would help congeal the team, and get them to work and function as a well-oiled machine. The fact that they got penthouse suites helped assuage his guilty conscious. Not that _he_ had one, a guilty conscious, that is. No, Sesshomaru _never_ had to feel guilty about anything, at least not to the point of admitting it to anyone.

-x-x-x-x-

The next few days passed by in a flurry as Kagome and Kazuki settled in. They moved into their apartments on Tuesday evening, and Thursday saw the arrival of their clothes and personal items from Canada. Kagome silently thanked her friends for packing most of her things. The rest she would have to get later, but, for now, she was grateful for the extra clothing. It was getting tiresome having to wear the same thing over and over again.

Their project files had also been uploaded into the system, and they spent the next couple of days bringing Sakura and Fuji up to speed on their research.

Kagome rarely caught glimpses of InuYasha. He seemed to spend most of his days in his office or in meetings. _I_ _wonder_ _if_ _he_ _ever_ _comes_ _down_ _here_? She would fleetingly think during the course of her work. It was really quite hard to concentrate when she knew he was in the complex somewhere. She thanked the kami that she didn't officially start her job until Monday. Her head and her heart just weren't in her work right now. No, it was off to dreamland with a certain silver-haired Adonis. Just knowing he was _here_ made her feel so giddy and alive. She couldn't help the bubbling happiness erupting in her as she thought about him.

After a few subtle inquiries about her _boss_, she discovered that he was not married, which never even crossed her relieved mind. She found out that he didn't have a girlfriend nor was he ever serious with anyone. Yes, he dated, which made Kagome's jealousy flare when she heard that, but she calmed down when she was told that nothing was ever serious. While Sesshomaru could put fear into the hearts of his employees with only one glance, it was Yash — with his infamous temper and explosive behaviour — that the staff steered away from. The fact was that Yash never got close to anyone.

Kagome was sad to hear this last part. She knew how lonely InuYasha was growing up and how hard it was for him to open up to people. She was glad to hear that he didn't have a serious girlfriend, for her heart's sake. She couldn't help it, but if that meant that he was unhappy… Well, she felt so torn up inside. If he didn't let anyone get close, he must have been lonely indeed, and that broke Kagome's heart.

-x-x-x-x-

Saturday went by in a rush as Kagome finished unpacking, thankful that Sesshomaru allowed them to take the day off. It gave her the opportunity to get to know Sakura better. Laughing and talking with the inu-youkai, Kagome discovered she really liked her new teammate. _We_'_re_ _going_ _to_ _be_ _great_ _friends _crossed Kagome's mind more than once.

Kazuki and Fuji hung around after they unloaded their stuff, making Kagome think that they must have just dumped their belongings anywhere there was space available. _Typical_ _men_, Kagome thought as she went over to their apartment later. Walking into Kaz's room, she shook her head at the site of boxes piled in the corner and clothes recklessly hung up in the closet.

After spending all day Saturday settling into her new apartment, she spent Sunday helping Kazuki settle into his. During this time, she and Kazuki came to an unspoken agreement. He stopped making snide remarks about InuYasha, and Kagome, on her part, stopped giving him dirty looks every time he did.

As soon as Kagome found out that she would be staying in Japan, she had called her mother with the news. Nori was ecstatic that Kagome was back home for two months. _For good_, thought Kagome, but she didn't want to voice these thoughts to her mom. Not until she got a few things straightened out.

Her mom had insisted that she bring her friends over for Sunday dinner. Thus, the four of them found themselves laughing and joking at her mother's table with her family. Sota had invited his girlfriend, Aimi, along as well. Kagome was enthused at Sota's choice of a companion. The girl was a bit on the shy side, but her quick wit and her sincerity shone through. And the way she looked at her brother, with soft, lovesick eyes! Well, Kagome was happy for both of them.

A feeling welled up in her that had been missing in her life for so long — a feeling of contentment. She could almost be happy, looking around the table at her mother, her brother, and her friends. Only one thing was missing… _InuYasha_ … Just the thought of him made her heart flutter. The evening at her mother's would have been perfect if that particular hanyou had been there beside her. Nevertheless, it was good to be surrounded by family and friends. It was good to be home.

-x-x-x-x-

Kagome paused in the doorway, peeking back at the laughter floating out from the kitchen. Dinner was finished and the table was cleared. Sota had engaged Kazuki and Fuji in a game of Guitar Hero. Kagome smiled and shook her head; _boys_ _will_ _be_ _boys_.

Sakura and Aimi discovered a mutual love of decorating and had engrossed Nori in a discussion on how to refurbish her living room.

Kagome walked leisurely out into the night air. She loved the fragrance of the lavender that grew in her mother's courtyard. Inhaling deeply, she sat down on the oak garden bench, leaned back, and enjoyed the solitude. In the silence of the night, alone with her thoughts, she felt a bit melancholy. The sound of echoing footsteps on the cobblestone brought a small smile to her face. _Mama_.

Without opening her eyes, she said, "He's here."

Nori nodded as she sat down beside her daughter. Folding her hands demurely on her lap, she considered her daughter's aura. "I thought as much."

Opening her eyes, Kagome regarded her mother thoughtfully. "How did you know?"

"The way you smiled all night. You're radiating joy that I haven't seen in a long time. Five years to be exact."

Kagome smiled. Her mother was perceptive. She knew things on such a primitive level that Kagome often wondered who she inherited her miko powers from.

"He's my boss, you know. Ironic, isn't it?" Kagome paused. "He's changed."

"I would think so. 500 years would do that to a person."

Kagome laughed lightly. "Yes, it would."

Remembering their last conversation, Nori casually remarked, "It's funny the way things work out. Did you talk to him?"

"I tried to explain things to him, but he didn't want to hear my reasons."

Nori nodded. "Perhaps you should give him time. He must have been just as shocked as you about the whole situation."

"He was so angry with me, Mama. He couldn't forgive me for leaving him. He acted like he hated me."

"And how does he feel now?"

"I talked to him afterwards. He apologized."

"See there. Things will work out."

"How can you say that, Mama?"

Nori didn't bother to answer Kagome and countered with her own question. "Do you still love him?"

"Of course, I do."

"I mean, do you love the man he has become or are you still in love with the memory of the boy he was?"

Kagome opened her mouth to automatically say, 'Of course, I love him', but stopped. Instead, she silently contemplated the question in her mind. Turning confused eyes to her mother, she said, "I-I do. I do still love him, but, I'm not sure if I _know_ him anymore. I still see glimpses of the InuYasha that I knew, but he's different now. He's grown up."

Nori's soft chuckle filled the air. "Is that a bad thing?"

Kagome looked chagrined. "No, of course not. You should see him, Mama. He's gorgeous. I mean, he's always been beautiful." Kagome's eyes gleamed as InuYasha's image filled her thoughts, and her voice became animated. "He wears suits now. He looks so good. And shoes! Can you believe he wears shoes now?"

As Kagome spoke of InuYasha, Nori noticed the brightening of her eyes and the flush of her cheeks. "His hair is still long and heavenly. It looks like he takes really good care of it now. He looks older and h-he's, he's so cultured!" Kagome gushed.

Nori smiled to herself as Kagome went on and on about the hanyou. _Not_ _sure_ _if_ _she_ _loves_ _the_ _modern_ _version,_ _huh_? She sighed. Sometimes one can't see the most obvious thing.

Kagome continued on, oblivious to her mother's bemused grin. "And he runs a company with Sesshomaru. They own the Takahashi Group. Well, they _are_ the Takahashi Group."

Nori gave a start. "Well, he sure has done well for himself."

"Oh, he has. He's smart, he's rich, and he's so handsome!"

"Is that all you see, Kagome?"

Kagome stopped. Sucking in her breath, she took in her mother's shrewd gaze. "No," she replied softly, "I don't see that at all when I look at him."

"What do you see?"

Kagome looked away, her heart fluttering like a butterfly's wing. "All I see is InuYasha, plain and simple — just InuYasha."

-x-x-x-x-

The foursome trudged off to start their first official day as a team on Monday morning. Their empty cupboards, bare of any groceries, made them go out and seek breakfast beforehand.

"Hey, stop the car!" Kazuki bellowed as Fuji slammed on the brakes.

"What the —"

Kazuki pointed delightedly at the big sign. "It's Starbucks! Let's go get coffee."

Kagome laughed. "Kaz, we just had breakfast. Don't you remember the three cups of coffee you just had?"

"Yeah, but it's Starbucks!"

Kagome couldn't help but snicker at the enthusiasm of her friend. The way he was bouncing around, you'd think it was Christmas morning and he was the kid with the biggest stack of presents.

Sakura and Fuji gave Kazuki strange looks.

"We have lots of Starbucks here," Sakura explained. "The coffee chain is so popular in Japan, you'd be able to find one on every street corner."

Kazuki punched a fist into the air. "Yesss!"

Kagome burst into giggles at the shocked expressions on their friends' faces. They just couldn't understand Kazuki's enthusiasm over a coffee shop.

"He just likes his caffeine," Kagome explained between giggles.

She relented when Kazuki turned puppy dog eyes at her. "Okay, let's stop and get a mocha."

Fuji pulled into the parking lot. To both Kagome's and Kazuki's delight, a Mister Donut shop was right next door.

Sakura and Fuji simply could not understand their project chairs' enthusiasm for sugar, and Sakura hesitantly asked them about it.

Kazuki smirked over at Kagome. "They just don't get it yet, eh, Kags?"

Kagome simply grinned at her friend and slightly shook her head. No, their new team members didn't realize what they were in for: all the late nights, the stress, and the lack of sleep. They would need all the help they could get, and coffee and donuts was one way to fuel a scientist's hectic day: caffeine, lots and lots of caffeine.

-x-x-x-x-

Since they had to report to Yash's office to brief him on their research, Kagome decided to pick up donuts for their meeting.

After contemplating at the Starbucks counter, she also got a hot chocolate for him. She didn't know if he drank coffee, she thought wistfully. She didn't know what he drank. She didn't know what he liked anymore, and that little thought depressed her, but she remembered that he had once liked hot chocolate, so she got him one.

-x-x-x-x-

They arrived back at the complex at 9:30 and since their meeting with Yash wasn't until 10:30, they had an hour to kill.

Kagome kept glancing at the clock waiting anxiously for the meeting to roll around. Was it only just 9:40? An inspiration struck her as she picked up the hot chocolate.

"Umm, Mr. Takahashi's hot chocolate will be cold before the meeting, so… um… I'm…um… going to go deliver this now. I… um… I might as well take the donuts too…" Kagome thought she would just die and go through the floor with the way Kazuki was staring knowingly at her. Luckily, Sakura and Fuji were too wrapped up looking over files that they just gave her a non-committal wave.

"Okay, see you at the meeting," Sakura murmured as she perused a file sheet.

Kazuki gave her a half smile. "Yeah, see you at the meeting, Kags."

Kagome grabbed the hot chocolate and donuts and sped out the room, her face flaming.

-x-x-x-x-

Yash sat there staring at his clock. He had been sitting there for over fifteen minutes, waiting anxiously for his 10:30 meeting to start. _Shit_, _I_ _should_ _have_ _scheduled_ _the_ _meeting_ _for_ _8_:_00_, he though wryly. Was it only 9:40? What the hell was he going to do for the next fifty minutes?

A tentative knock brought him out of his brooding. "Come in," he called out, glad for the distraction.

Her scent reached him before the door opened to reveal Kagome hesitantly standing at the threshold.

Yash jumped out of his seat and hurried over to stand in front of the girl. "Kagome!"

Kagome smiled tentatively. "Good Morning, InuYasha."

Yash drank in the sight of her standing before him. She looked so good in her casual grey pants and blue sweater. _I_ _wish_ _she_ _would_ _leave_ _her_ _hair_ _down_, Yash thought wistfully as he looked at her ebony tresses pulled up into a high ponytail.

Kagome drank in the sight of the hanyou standing before her. He looked so good in his red shirt and black suit. _I_ _wish_ _he_ _would_ _leave_ _his_ _hair_ _down_, Kagome thought wistfully as she looked at his silvery locks tied back at the nap of his neck.

Mrs. Morito, Yash's secretary, shook her head and grinned at the couple staring at each other_. If_ _only_ _those_ _two_ _could_ _see_ _what_ _I_ _can_ _see_, _even_ _from_ _here_, she thought.

"I… um… I'm glad you could meet with me this morning." Yash cleared his throat, not bothering to mention that Kagome was fifty minutes early or the fact that they were missing the other three team members.

Kagome smiled brightly up at the hanyou and held out her hands. "I brought you hot chocolate and donuts."

"Donuts?"

"They're round sugary batter that's deep fried."

Yash smiled indulgently her, a twinkle in his eye. "I know what donuts are, Kagome. I think I was around when they were first invented." He laughed out loud as the girl in front of him blushed bright red.

Kagome could have kicked herself. Ever since she returned to Japan, she's been acting like a blithering fool.

As Yash continued to laugh at the chagrin look on her face, the tension broke. InuYasha's laugh was deep and infectious, and Kagome couldn't help but to join in.

"Sor-sorry…" she giggled. It was wonderful to hear him laugh so spontaneously, something she didn't remember him doing a lot of. Little did she know he never did it at all, judging by the shocked expression on his secretary's face.

Yash stepped back and allowed Kagome in.

Kagome held out the hot chocolate. "I… um… I didn't know if you drank coffee, so I got you hot chocolate. I remember how much you liked my mama's…" Kagome trailed off. She didn't mean to tread on the past, but it was so hard not to with the hanyou.

Yash took the drink gratefully and grinned down at her. "Hot chocolate is fine. So, what kind of donuts did you get?"

He moved towards the box that Kagome had set down on the round meeting table. Opening up the lid, he peered down at the selection.

Kagome slapped his hand away. "You have to wait for the meeting."

"Hey!" Yash protested. "I didn't have breakfast. You're the one who brought the donuts up and besides," he smirked at her, "I'm the boss."

Kagome playfully rolled her eyes and conceded as Yash looked down and concentrated on his selection. He gleefully picked up a sprinkled one and took a huge bite.

_So_ _he likes the sprinkled ones_, _huh_? Kagome filed that thought into her mind.

A warm sensation swirled in the pit of her stomach as she watched InuYasha. _Great_, _now_ _I_'_m_ _getting_ _turned_ _on_ _just_ _watching_ _him_ _eat_ _a_ _donut_. _Get_ _a_ _hold_ _of_ _yourself_, _Kagome_!

Pulling her gaze away as Yash downed his sweet treat, Kagome looked around his office. When she was here the first time, she missed the row of pictures that lined the cabinet along the wall. She raised a questioning brow at InuYasha, and he nodded slightly giving her permission to look at the photos. Striding over, she looked at the images. There were quite a few pictures of two younger inu-youkai who looked like Sesshomaru.

Yash quietly walked over and stood behind her. "Those are Sesshomaru's children, Daichi and Chouko."

Kagome nodded. "Who did he marry?"

"An inu-youkai from the western lands. It was an arranged agreement between the two families." InuYasha shrugged. "It worked out okay. They don't seem to be that badly matched."

Yash watched intently as Kagome perused the row of photos, his hand itching to loosen her ponytail and free her tousled locks.

Kagome scanned the pictures until she stopped at one displaying a young, red-headed man. Picking up the frame, she peered closely at it. She was oblivious to the scrutinizing stare of the hanyou.

When Kagome raised questioning, hopeful eyes up to him, he gave her a half smile and confirmed her suspicions. "That's Shippo."

"Shippo…" Kagome whispered. She traced the sharp contours of the kitsune's face through the frame. A young man with bright red hair and emerald green eyes joyfully stared back at her through the glass. Kagome was so happy and relived to know that the kitsune was alive that tears came to her eyes.

The last time she had stood in his office, she had wanted so badly to ask InuYasha about their feudal friends, but she was afraid to bring anything up about the past. She hadn't wanted to jeopardize the fragile bond that they now shared.

"Kagome, don't… don't cry," InuYasha said softly.

Kagome hastily wiped away her tears and gave him a watery smile. "I'm just so happy that he's still alive."

"Keh, of course, he is. He turned out to a be a pretty strong kitsune."

Kagome couldn't miss the pride she heard in InuYasha's voice.

"Where is he now? Can I see him?"

"He's in China."

"China?"

InuYasha nodded. "Our Shippo became a Kitsune Master."

_Our Shippo_. Kagome smiled nostalgically at the reference. "Oh, I thought… Well, I saw all these paintings." she gestured at the artwork lining his office walls. "I thought they were Shippo's. It looked like his style."

InuYasha gave her a lopsided grin. "You're right, those are Shippo's. He took up painting as a hobby. He never lost his love for drawing."

Looking over at the paintings, InuYasha continued, "The kit still loves to draw and paint in his spare time. He's good too. He could have made a fortune selling his paintings, but he decided to continue the tradition of kitsune magic. He wanted to make sure the ancient kitsune arts weren't lost, so he opened up temples all around the world to ensure that his heritage survives."

To know that Shippo grew up with such strong values made Kagome swell up with pride.

She could tell that InuYasha was equally as proud of the little kitsune they had both rescued and loved.

"Even Sesshomaru appreciates his talents. He commissioned Shippo to paint all of the art for this place. Normally, the kit wouldn't have taken on such a job, but," he shrugged, "he did it as a favour to me."

_S_. _Takahashi_. All the paintings she noticed around the buildings. Ah, now it made sense. "I noticed all the paintings on my tour. They're beautiful."

InuYasha nodded and smiled down at Kagome. "Who would have thought the kit had talent, huh? Must have been all those crayons you used to bring him."

Kagome's eyes misted as she recalled the endless hours she watched Shippo immersed in his drawings, or the way his face lit up when she brought him art supplies.

Kagome returned the smile. "He always loved drawing. Does he go by Takahashi too? When I saw the name on one of the paintings, I thought it might have been him."

"I adopted Shippo," Yash suddenly admitted softly. He looked up and paused at what he saw in Kagome's gaze. Her eyes were filled with tenderness and gratitude and …. love? He blinked a couple of times and subconsciously moved closer to the girl.

"Y-you adopted him?"

Yash cleared his throat and nodded. "After Sango and Miroku died, Shippo came with me, and we stuck it out together."

"I'm so glad," Kagome said softly, trying to hold back the choking emotions. She missed her friends, and yet she never went back to see them. Shame filled her heart. What kind of friend was she? Funny, how when your life gets so busy, you tend to let the days run into each other without a thought to anyone else. Until it was too late. "S-Sango… M-Miroku, were they h-happy?"

InuYasha wanted to ease the pain he saw etched on Kagome's face. "I'm sorry, Kagome. I didn't mean to tell you like that. Sango and Miroku had good lives. They re-built their slayer village and continued the taijiya tradition. They had many children and grandchildren. They were happy together, and they had fulfilling lives."

Yash tried to lighten up the mood. "Kagome, don't be sad. They wouldn't want you to be."

Kagome gave a brief nod, the lump in her throat making it hard for her to reply.

Her eyes rested on a rectangular box displayed among the photos. With tentative hands, Kagome grasped the wooden box. No, not wood, bone. She ran her fingers over the smooth intricate design on the lid. It was beautifully hand crafted and ivory-like in appearance.

Giving InuYasha a questioning look, she turned the box over in her hands. There was an unbroken seal running around the edges.

"It's from Miroku," InuYasha said quietly.

_Miroku_. Kagome caressed the box as if she could erase time and feel the presence of her friend once again. "It's made from demon bone, isn't it?"

"Yes."

_Sango_. Only her dear friend could have created such an exquisite object.

"Sango made the box and Miroku carved the design."

"What's in it?"

"I don't know."

Kagome looked up startled. "You don't know?"

InuYasha looked abashed. "I was told that I couldn't open it yet. Before Miroku passed away, he entrusted that box to Shippo with explicit instructions to keep it safe for me."

"Why didn't he just give it to you?"

InuYasha looked sheepishly at her and gave her a half grin.

Kagome laughed. "Ah… I get it. You would have been too tempted to open this up."

At InuYasha's blush, Kagome laughed harder. "I'm surprised it's not open now that you have it."

"Well… It's was Miroku's wish that I didn't open it yet."

"When can you open it? It's been 500 years. What are you waiting for?"

"I-I can't open it yet, that's all." InuYasha held out his hand for the small chest, refusing to further the discussion.

Kagome complied and handed the delicate bone box back, feeling a slight pang in her heart as the case left her hands. Her dear friends had lovingly made that box for InuYasha. She was so thankful that they loved him enough to make him a keepsake.

She watched as InuYasha carefully slid the box back onto the table, his hand resting momentarily on it.

"I'm surprised you keep that here. In the office, I mean, instead of your house."

Yash snorted. "Well, I tend to spend more time in the office than anywhere else and," he gave her a self-deprecating smile, "sometimes it's nice to have old friends close."

Kagome felt her heart twist at that admission. _Oh, InuYasha_. She looked up, her heart filled with love and pride for her hanyou. "I'm glad you weren't alone, InuYasha. T-that you had Shippo. Thank you for raising him." Kagome looked at him, tenderness infused in her eyes. "From the sounds of it, you've raised a fine kitsune."

InuYasha looked away, embarrassed. "Keh —"

Kagome reached out, touched InuYasha's shoulder, and was shocked. An infusion of warmth swept through her system as tingles of electrifying energy burst from his shoulder up to her arms and chest. The two stood, immobilized, as the feeling coursed between them.

Raising her gaze up, Kagome stared into the glowing depths of amber coals. She licked her lips and slowly leaned in. She couldn't breathe as a shudder of need coursed through her body, her breath coming out in little hitches. His breath was warm and silky as it caressed her cheeks and skimmed over her lips like a butterfly's kiss. His mouth was a whisper away. Kagome parted her lips ready to receive him …


	9. A Friend Indeed

Disclaimer: InuYasha is owned by Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan Inc. and Viz Media. Story and all original characters created are owned by me.

**Chapter 8: A Friend Indeed**

-x-x-x-x-

Raising her gaze up, Kagome stared into the glowing depths of amber coals. She licked her lips and slowly leaned in. She couldn't breathe as a shudder of need coursed through her body, her breath coming out in little hitches. His breath was warm and silky as it caressed her cheeks and skimmed over her lips like a butterfly's kiss. His mouth was a whisper a way and Kagome parted her lips, ready to receive him…

The sudden knock on the door brought them both to a halt. They stood frozen in place as they stared at one another.

Kagome was the first to react. She stepped back hastily, her face burning with embarrassment.

Yash regarded her for a moment, indecisive, before he spun on his feet and opened the door.

Kagome turned around quickly and tried to stop the rapid beating of her heart. She put her hands up to her cheeks, trying desperately to dissipate the pinkness she knew was there. She willed herself to breathe as one of the secretaries breezed into the room.

The wolf youkai quietly took in the scene before her, noticing the strain on the human girl's shoulders and the slightly erratic beating of her boss' heart. Narrowing her eyes imperceptibly, she gave Yash a saucy look. "Mr. Takahashi, I was to inform you that Mr. Gourou Kato will be joining your meeting this morning. He wanted to get a better handle on the research project for his press releases."

Yash nodded curtly, silently willing the youkai secretary to leave. _Damn_, _did_ _he_ _almost_ _kiss_ _Kagome_? _Why_ _the_ _fuck_ _did_ _they_ _have_ _to_ _be_ _interrupted_ _now_?

The secretary had other ideas, however. Taking advantage of Yash's wayward thoughts and inattention, she linked her arms through his and purred, "What time are we going tonight? I thought we could have dinner beforehand."

_What_?! Yash startled by the turn of events looked down at his secretary. _Shit_, _he_ _forgot_ _about_ _tonight_. His attention momentarily turned away from Kagome, and he didn't notice the stiffening of her shoulders. Unfortunately, the secretary did and pressed on unabashed. "It should be _so_ much fun. Everyone we know will be there. I even bought a dress especially for the occasion. You'll love it."

Kagome took in the rush of words as her spine tensed. _When_ _did_ _InuYasha_ _start_ _liking_ _wolves_? That seemed to be her only coherent thought as she willed herself to pull it together. She pasted a smile on her face and turned around. _The_ _wolf_ _was_ _practically_ _clinging_ _onto_ _him_ _like_ _saran_ _wrap_, she thought sourly.

The secretary smirked at Kagome, and, making a show of releasing Yash's arm, she seductively trailed her painted fingernails along his forearm. Winking, she said huskily, "See you tonight," before heading out the door.

Yash quickly looked up at Kagome, noticing the coolness radiating from the girl. Opening his mouth to explain, he was cut short by the arrival of several people in the doorway. _Damn_, _it_ _was_ _10:30_.

With Kazuki leading the way, the rest of her team members filed into the room. A moment later, an inu-youkai that Kagome had never seen before entered the office.

Kazuki noticed the rigid way Kagome held herself, and shot Yash a look. _What_ _the_ _hell_ _happened_ _up_ _here_? _And_ _why_ _the_ _hell_ _does_ _Yash_ _smell_ _like_ _wolf_? Siding up to his partner, he whispered under his breath, "You okay?"

Kagome took comfort in his presence, giving Kazuki a quick nod and what she hoped was a reassuring smile.

The inu-youkai unknowingly broke the tension in the room as he approached Kazuki and Kagome. Bowing briefly, he said, "I am Gourou Kato, the vice president of public relations for the Takahashi Group."

Kazuki bowed back. "Kazuki Matsumoto and this is my project co-chair, Dr. Kagome Higurashi."

Kagome smiled and bowed, still a little shaken, but satisfied that she had her feelings under control.

Yash, who couldn't wait for the meeting to start fifty minutes ago, was now frustrated that he didn't have more time. He did the only thing he could, he gestured for everyone to take their seats. He watched with narrowed eyes as Kazuki instinctively put his hand on the small of Kagome's back and led her to the table.

The six of them sat at the round meeting table. Yash immediately grabbed another donut and slouched down into a chair, facing slightly away. He was agitated that the intimate moment with Kagome was lost. He blew out a breath, frustrated at the intrusion. _Shit_, _was_ _she_ _really_ _going_ _to_ _let_ _me_ _kiss_ _her_? He didn't even taste the donut in his hand; it just kept him busy.

Gourou addressed the team, "I am preparing my initial press releases for the Takahashi Group. Let me just say that the project you are working on is at the top of my priority list. Mr. Takahashi has mentioned that he wanted to reveal our findings to counteract the Hatanaka Corporation, yes?"

"Yes, it has been mentioned," muttered Kazuki. _Great_, _another_ _one_ _to_ _pressure_ _us_.

Kagome caught Kazuki's frustration and gave Gourou a genuine smile that belied her own inner turmoil. "Mr. Kato, if you have any questions please don't hesitate to stop us for further explanation."

Kagome proceeded to start the meeting off, going into details of their project.

Throughout the meeting Yash did not once look at the other occupants of the room. Instead, he opted to stare out the window, lost in thought.

Kagome, too, was lost in thought. Kazuki noticed his partner's distraction. Even though she did a good job of hiding it, he knew her too well. He knew that while she was answering the questions directed at her with utmost ease and professionalism, the faraway glaze in her expression belied her true thoughts. _Shit_, _she_'_s_ _good_, he thought admirably. She knew her stuff well enough that she answered questions readily and automatically, never giving any indication of her inattention.

_Stupid_, _stupid_, _stupid_, Kagome berated herself. _He_ _has_ _a_ _date tonight_. _He has his own life now_. _Just because he_'_s been so cordial and approachable doesn_'_t mean he wants things back the way it use to be_. _Doesn_'_t mean he wants me_. Kagome stilled as she remembered Yash's words from their previous meeting, _It_'_s_ _in_ _the_ _past_. _I_ _don_'_t_ _need_ _to_ _re-live_ _it_. The last time in his office he was just trying to be nice! Kagome had thought that he just didn't want to talk about their past. _Stupid_, _stupid_, _stupid_! How could she have mistaken his genial manner for something more? _I_ _thought_… _I_ _thought_ _there_ _was_ _a_ _chance_ _for_ _us_… _stupid_, _stupid_, _stupid_. Why would he want her now, after all that she had put him through, especially when he had women throwing themselves at his feet? Her rage was directed at herself as feelings of jealousy consumed her.

Kagome turned her gaze to the hanyou. He seemed just as distracted as she was, but she could tell he was listening to the conversation around him, with the way his ears rotated and twitched on top of his head like little radars.

His ears… She loved his ears. _Damn_! _Stupid_ _Kagome_, _stop_ _thinking_ _about_ _his_ _ears_. _He_ _doesn_'_t_ _want_ _you_ _anymore_… _yet_… _he_ _almost_ _kissed_ _me_…

Yash felt the gaze of the girl, and turned slightly to look up. He sucked in a sharp intake of breath at the frosted look Kagome was giving him. _Shit_, _she_'_s_ _mad_. _What_ _the_ _hell_? Yash looked at her, trying to assess why she was shooting daggers at him. _Fuck_, _does_ _she_ _regret_ _that_ _I_ _almost_ _kissed_ _her_?

His eyes narrowed. She _was_ thinking about the past: Shippo, Miroku, Sango. Shit, she _was_ emotional. Was that all it was? A fallback to the damn past? He clenched his jaw as he watched Kazuki lightly touch her hand, bringing her back into the discussion. Kagome automatically complied, the harsh look in her eyes replaced by a lying tranquility as she turned and smiled brightly at Mr. Kato. Yash continued to stare at Kazuki's hand _still_ resting on Kagome's. And dammit, she didn't pull away! _What_ _the_ _fuck_? _She_ _was_ _going_ _to_ _kiss me_! _Does_ _she_ _fucking_ _regret_ _it_? _She_ _must_, _the way she_'_s letting Kazuki touch her like that_. _In a meeting_, _no less_! _Fuck_!

"Sources tell us that the Hatanaka Corporation is using moth youki. Why aren't we doing this?"

"Because it doesn't work," Kazuki stated bluntly.

Kagome nodded her head in agreement. "Their youki is too weak. The transformations would never hold."

"Then why is Hatanaka releasing their findings based on that?"

Kazuki simply shook his head. "Your guess is as good as ours. Why they would want to ruin their reputation on a formula that doesn't work is beyond us."

Gourou leaned forward. "Dr. Matsumoto, to be blunt, you and Dr. Higurashi have spent the last twenty minutes explaining what doesn't work. Now tell me what _will_ work."

Kazuki gave an exasperated sigh and looked Gourou straight in the eyes. "If we _knew_ that, don't you think we would have the formula by now?"

"There's talk about using the concealment barrier technology to fuel the transformations. Why can't you do that?" Gourou waved his hands in the air. Like all marketers, he was frustrated at the lack of information he could put into his press kits. He was grasping at straws and trying to spin marketing gold out of limited information.

Kazuki rolled his eyes. What a headache trying to explain how science worked to one that obviously just wanted to have an answer now. No matter if the answer was wrong as long as he could wrap it up in a neat, pretty package to present to the world.

Kagome leaned in, her eyes bright. Her attention was now solely focused on the task at hand. She was in her element, talking about her research, that she momentarily forgot her distressing thoughts. "You are partially right, Mr. Kato. Basically, we _are_ trying to take the concealment barrier and anchoring that technology into a personal individual charm."

Gourou shot Kazuki a triumphant look and addressed Kagome, "So what's the problem? Why can't we just do that?"

Kazuki snarled, "Because miko power is used to anchor a concealment barrier onto a non-living object like a building or a house. We can't just use spiritual energy like that for individual hanyou unless we wanted to purify them."

"So, what do we use?"

"Well, that's just the thing. We don't know. We can use the barrier's basic concept to mask a hanyou's looks, but we need something to reflect that spiritual energy and anchor that to a charm," Kagome further explained.

"What would you use to direct the spiritual energy?"

Kagome smiled patiently. "Well, that's the missing link. We don't know."

Fuji, up to speed on his chairs' research, interjected, "We need to find a powerful enough youkai that can make permanent transformations. A metamorphosis, so to speak."

Kazuki nodded and shot Fuji a smile. Fuji puffed up with pride at the acknowledgment.

"How about kitsune youkai?"

This time, it was Sakura who answered the marketer, "No, kitsunes have the ability to transform, but their transfers are temporary, much like moth youkai."

"What else is there?"

Kazuki raked his hand through his hair. He had no patience for this. "Well, let's see, there's insects, amphibians, crustaceans, mollusks, echinoderms. The list goes on, and we've tried it all."

"Well, if you're talking about a powerful metamorphosis, why not use the most powerful one of all, a butterfly's?"

Yash sat up, his ears twitching. His attention was finally on the conversation at hand.

Kagome, normally the patient one, was feeling her patience wear thin as well. Shooting Kazuki a look and noticing that he was at the end of his rope with this discussion, she answered, "Mr. Kato, believe us when we say we've tried everything. Our next step is to combine various youki to see if we can get a decent enough transformation."

"You didn't answer my question, Dr. Higurashi. What about butterfly youkai? You want a powerful transformation. That'll work, won't it?"

"Yes —"

"Well, then that's the answer!" crowed the marketer.

Kazuki rolled his eyes, and Kagome smiled wryly. She interpreted his expression of _what_ _the_ _hell_ _are_ _we_ _dealing_ _with_ _here_?

Kagome leaned forward and spoke slowly as if addressing a child, "Mr. Kato, butterfly youkai has been extinct for over 200 years."

The marketer looked abashed and huffed, "Well, of course they are. But some must have survived somewhere. Maybe in hiding? Or butterfly hanyou. What about them? Or, w-why can't we clone the damn things?"

_What_ _the_ _hell_ _does_ _he_ _think_ _extinct_ _means_? Kazuki was ready to snarl at Gourou, but stilled at Kagome's hand on his arm.

Smiling indulgently at the marketer, she responded, "Butterfly youkai were just too delicate to survive. Believe me, they are extinct. There may be butterfly hanyou around, but our sources haven't had any luck tracking them down. Besides, their blood would be so diluted that it wouldn't be effective. The only thing we can do now is to locate a suitable replacement that can make permanent transformations. Even if it means combining various youki."

Yash held his breath as the conversation continued around him. Yes, he was listening to every word. Should he speak up? Make a suggestion? Nudge Kagome in the right direction? Every time he attempted to open his mouth, something stopped him. _He_ _really_ _didn_'_t_ _want_ _to_ _tell_ _her_, he decided stubbornly to himself. So, he kept his mouth shut and listened. When they moved onto another topic, he let out a sigh of relief and grabbed another donut.

When Yash reached for his sixth donut, Kazuki raised a brow at Kagome, seemingly to say, _He_'s _not_ _paying_ _attention_ _to_ _us_ _at_ _all_. _Surprise_, _surprise_, _he_'_s_ _not_ _interested_.

In which Kagome shot him a look that plainly said, _Leave_ _him_ _alone_.

Kazuki just rolled his eyes, and proceeded to conclude the meeting.

-x-x-x-x-

Yash sat at his desk staring out the window. His emotional rollercoaster ride was coming to an end. From the highs of the morning to the lows of the afternoon, he finally came to a conclusion.

The look of anger Kagome shot him, combined with the way she kept touching Kazuki during the meeting, finally gave him a piece of reality. She had moved on with her life. What happened here in the office, before they were interrupted, was a tail end of the past.

Where was his resolve that he didn't want her obligation, her pity? _How_ _can_ _I_ _change_ _the_ _future_ _if_ _the_ _past_ _is_ _already_ _written_? _What_ _kind_ _of_ _fool_ _would_ _I_ _be_ _to_ _try_ _to_ _pursue_ _it_? What was that saying? "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."

He closed his eyes and leaned back into his chair. He had his heart broken twice by two women he would have gladly died for. Two women, same damn soul. Ironic, wasn't it? Somewhere, someone must really, really hate him — entwining his soul with one that continually broke his heart. If Kagome ever got reincarnated, he'd better stay away from anyone who looked like her or Kikyo. Better yet, stay away from all brown eyed, black haired beauties. You know the saying: three times the charm. _Fuck_.

-x-x-x-x-

"Oh Yash, I'm so excited. It'll be great. It's like our very first date!" purred the wolf youkai as she clung onto the hanyou's arm as they exited the elevator.

Yash pulled his arm out of the wolf's and glared at her. "Listen Amara, this is _not_ a date," he hissed. "I'm only doing this as a favour to your cousin and that fucking asshole she married." He stalked out of the building, not bothering to wait for her.

She pouted and hurried after him. A slight movement caught the corner of her eye, and she smiled secretly as she hurried into the parking lot after the hanyou.

"Oh Yash! Yash, darling!" she called.

The hanyou whipped around, and was about to retort to the darling part, when the youkai 'tripped'. Taking advantage of the momentum, Amara flung herself into Yash's arms and clung on tight.

"What the hell —" Yash's temper was at its end.

The brazen hussy quickly swung the startled hanyou around, leaned up, and kissed him. Hard.

The wolf youkai smirked with satisfaction as she noticed the shadowy figure disappear back into the building.

"What the hell are you doing?!" bellowed the furious hanyou as he pushed the wolf away.

Amara straightened out her coat and stood back, licking her lips. Giving Yash a sly smile she proceeded to the car. "Yash, darling, I know _exactly_ what I'm doing."

Shaking his head in disbelief, Yash followed her to the car. _Fuck_, _the faster this night is over_, _the better_.

-x-x-x-x-

Kagome watched from the shadows of the building. She was outside taking a break. Her thoughts were consumed with InuYasha when said hanyou came out with the wolf secretary following after him. She witnessed what she thought was a passionate kiss between the two and thought she would throw up at the display. She quickly retreated back into the building and stood watching as the couple drove away into the night.

"I told you he was a bastard."

Kagome straightened her spine, and with her jaw set, she turned around and faced her friend. "I don't recall asking for your opinion."

"Kagome, why the hell are you so blind? I keep telling you, that bastard doesn't deserve you."

"Don't you dare tell me what's right for me."

"Kagome…"

"Kaz, don't." Kagome's voice was cool with annoyance. "Just don't. I'm sick and tired of you trying to _fix_ me. I don't need fixing like some broken down toy."

Kazuki eyed his friend for a few moments before casually tossing out, "She's pretty hot, that wolf youkai."

"What?!"

"They make a cute couple."

Kagome glared at him. "Thanks a lot."

Kazuki shrugged, trying hard not to laugh at Kagome's incensed look. "I hear she really wants to get her claws into him."

"You are _not_ helping, Kaz."

Kazuki continued on, ignoring Kagome's glower, "You shouldn't be surprised that someone of his stature would attract all types. He's decent looking, not as hot as me, of course. He's loaded. He co-owns the largest company in Japan. A prime catch, don't you think? It's no wonder so many women throw themselves at him. You should hear how they talk in the cafeteria."

Kagome stared at him, aghast. She couldn't believe he was saying these things! "What kind of friend are you?"

_The best_. "I'm just saying, Kags, you have competition. I'm just trying to help out."

With a resolved step, Kagome stood tall and looked Kazuki in the eye. "You're my friend and I love you for that, but I'm a big girl, Kaz. I can handle it. I don't need your help." She turned away from him and crossed her arms.

Kazuki mused as he watched the emotions play on Kagome's face as she stared out into the night sky. He always knew she was a diamond in the rough. He just never realized how many facets defined her personality.

The soft, somber girl he had come to love belied the angry, flashing venus in front of him. Who the hell was this woman? He realized he truly didn't know. All she had ever shown him were the top layers. Her true self hidden underneath layers of proper decorum. This was a girl he couldn't just sweep away and hide in Canada. No, this was one who was battling to fight. This must have been what she was like in the Feudal era — warrior woman — ready to take on anything. _She_ _was_ _hot_.

Shaking his head, he reprimanded himself, _Shit_, _she_'_s_ _my_ _best_ _friend_. He really shouldn't be having these thoughts, not now, when he knew where her heart truly lay.

This past week was a real eye opener for him. He had never seen Kagome so happy. Anyone could see that she still harboured deep feelings for Yash; the way she discreetly looked at him with her eyes full of love. Anyone except that stupid, fucking bastard.

He almost laughed out loud at the meeting when he kept his hand on Kagome's. Kags was too distracted to notice that he was more or less holding her hand, but Yash, ha! The way his ears twitched! Even if he wasn't looking at them, Kazuki could tell he had a scowl on his face over that one! _Okay_, _so_ _I_'_m_ _being_ _sadistic_, _fucking_ _with_ _Yash_'_s_ _head_, _but_ _I_ _needed_ _to_ _know_ _for_ _sure_, _didn_'_t_ _I_? _I needed_ _to_ _know_ _where that bastard's heart was_. Kagome, on the other hand, well, she was another story. She just needed a nudge in the right direction.

Kazuki leaned back casually and crossed his arms. "Really, Kags, are you done with the emotional rant? I never said you couldn't handle it."

"Then what are you trying to say?"

He slanted a gaze at her. "You know, anything that is worth having is worth fighting for. I've known you for how long? Five years? I've never seen you back down from a challenge before. I don't expect you to now."

She didn't comment, but he could tell his words were hitting the mark. Now for the bull's-eye. "I've seen how Yash looks at you. Don't you think he has his pick of women? The fact that he's not married yet should tell you something. Those women have nothing compared to you, Kags, especially that wolf youkai. I meant what I said, she's hot, but," he leaned in and chucked her chin, "you're _hotter_."

With a grin, he turned and sauntered away, but stopped when Kagome's quiet voice reached him. "Kaz, thanks for being such a good friend."

"You're welcome. Anything for you, darling," he threw over his shoulder. Smirking, he exited out the door.


	10. You're Still the One

Disclaimer: InuYasha is owned by Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan Inc. and Viz Media. I also don't own Starbucks, Mountain Equipment Co-op, or Gore-Tex. Story and all original characters created are owned by me.

**Chapter 9: You're Still the One**

-x-x-x-x-

_With_ _a_ _grin_ _he_ _turned_ _and_ _sauntered_ _away_, _but_ _stopped_ _when_ _Kagome_'_s_ _quiet_ _voice_ _reached_ _him_. "_Kaz_, _thanks_ _for_ _being_ _such_ _a_ _good_ _friend_."

"_You_'_re_ _welcome_. _Anything_ _for_ _you_, _darling_," _he_ _threw_ _over_ _his_ _shoulder_. _Smirking_, _he_ _exited_ _out_ _the_ _door_.

-x-x-x-x-

After the meeting, Yash meant to keep his distance from Kagome. He promised himself that he would let Kagome be and set her free of any obligation she had for him. He wanted her to be happy. If that meant his own heart was slowly dying, then so be it. He would do it, for her sake. He meant to leave her alone, but his damn, traitorous feet had other ideas as he walked over to the window which overlooked the facilities' grounds.

It had become Kagome and Kazuki's daily ritual to walk the grounds every morning before starting work, drinking their Starbucks coffee. It had become Yash's daily ritual to _watch _them walk the grounds every morning, drinking their Starbucks coffee. _Shit_. _If_ _Sesshomaru_ _knew_ _what_ _I_ _was_ _doing_, _he_ _would_ _throw_ _a_ _fit_.

Shaking his head ruefully, he smirked to himself. Multi-millionaire Yash Takahashi, co-owner of the largest corporation in Japan, was reduced to spying on his research chairs like a little kid. Okay, so one of them happened to be his ex. So, it really wasn't spying. It was more like stalking. _Shit_. _Definitely_ _don_'_t_ _let_ _Sess_ _find_ _out_.

With a sigh, he pushed himself off the wall to start his own work day.

-x-x-x-x-

It was Thursday, and Kagome hadn't seen InuYasha since their Monday meeting. Granted, he didn't need daily reports. After all, there wasn't much to report. They weren't making much progress, and it seemed that they were just spinning their wheels.

She was on edge, and she knew it wasn't because of the project. She just couldn't get her mind off of the hanyou. She constantly looked up when their lab door opened, hoping it was him. Her heart would skip a beat every time she saw a wisp of silver hair, which in a company full of inu-youkai, was _everywhere_. She couldn't help it. He occupied her thoughts constantly, and she desperately wanted to see him.

The thought that he had his own life just wouldn't leave her. Seeing him with that wolf youkai brought out her jealous streak in full force. She was so sick and tired of seeing him in the arms of another woman. It brought forth memories of how she used to feel around Kikyo: inadequate, unworthy, second best. She _hated_ feeling like this. Kazuki's words echoed in her mind until her stubborn, determined streak finally won out. She decided she wanted to fight for InuYasha.

_Dammit_, _he_ _used_ _to_ _be_ _mine_, _and_ _if_ _I_ _had_ _any_ _say_ _in_ _the_ _matter_, _he_ _still_ _will_ _be_.

If her team members noticed her distractions, they never said anything, with the exception of Kazuki — dear, dear Kazuki — who knew her so well. Well, he wasn't the type to let her get away with anything and constantly teased her about it. He did it discreetly, of course. After all, he didn't want to embarrass her in front of their co-workers. Although Sakura and Fuji often wondered why Kagome's face would burst into flames after Kazuki teasingly whispered something in her ear.

On Friday, Kagome decided to take matters into her own hands. She went up to InuYasha's office and tentatively knocked on his door.

-x-x-x-x-

It was with surprise that Yash started showing up to work, happy. He was actually _smiling_, as he was now, sitting in Sesshomaru's office. He had come to brief his brother on a project they had invested in overseas.

_The_ _baka_ _was_ _finally_ _doing_ _something_ _right_. This thought had crossed Sesshomaru's mind many times over the past week as he noticed the relative ease in which Kagome and Kazuki integrated into their company. And his brother! The way Yash was acting was like a complete turn-around. Nothing seemed to faze the hanyou anymore.

He had several staff members approach him, inquiring why the younger Takahashi was walking around with a perpetual grin on his face. After 500 years, Yash was happy again, and nobody knew why. Well, nobody except two individuals. Sesshomaru, of course, was one of them. The other, he suspected, was Kazuki.

He even tried to instigate an argument to see how his brother would handle the situation. He wasn't prepared for the laughter and nonchalant shrugs. The innuendos simply slid off of the hanyou's shoulders like water. Hmmm… and the thing that threw Sesshomaru off was that the baka had actually _whistled_. It rather took him by surprise.

_Oh_ _well_, the inu-youkai sighed as the thought crossed his mind for the hundredth time since Kagome came back to Japan. _At_ _least_ _he_'_s_ _doing_ _something_ _right_.

-x-x-x-x-

Kagome carried two coffees and a little brown bag and briskly walked past the wolf youkai secretary. Ever since the little 'incident', as Kagome liked to refer to it, she kept her distance from the wolf. Not that Kagome was scared of what the wolf would do. Rather she was scared of what _she_ would do. She hadn't purified a youkai since the Sengoku Jidai era, and she didn't want to start now. So, she simply ignored the wolf who was shooting death looks at her.

"Hmmm… I had such a great time with Yash last week. He's such a _great_ kisser," purred the wolf into the phone, rubbing salt into Kagome's half-healed wounds.

Kagome squared her shoulders, mentally counted to ten, and continued into the inner offices. Smiling as she walked up to Yash's secretary, she set down a cup of coffee. "Good Morning, Mrs. Morito. How did the meeting go yesterday?"

The older youkai leaned over and whispered conspiratorially, "It was like being surrounded by dogs and wolves."

Laughter erupted in Kagome as she knocked on InuYasha's door. At his gruntal reply, she stepped into the room. The after effects of her giggles made her cheeks flush and her eyes sparkle. This was the sight that greeted Yash as he looked up.

His breath caught in his throat as he watched Kagome walk over and set a coffee down at his desk. He gestured towards the ear piece he was holding. Kagome nodded, careful not to interrupt his phone conversation.

When Kagome first showed up last Friday with donuts and coffee, Yash simply could not resist. Since then, it had become a daily ritual for her to deliver breakfast to Yash before she started work.

Yash secretly waited eagerly for her to show up every morning. She didn't know that he passed three Starbucks on his way to work and that he had stopped frequenting the establishments once Kagome started her morning deliveries.

Yash knew that after she left his office, she would meet up with Kazuki and walk the grounds with him. It didn't even bother him anymore. After all, she visited _him_ first. _At_ _least_ _now,_ _I_ _don_'_t_ _have_ _to_ _watch_ _from_ _the_ _window_. _I don_'_t_ _have_ _to_ _feel like I'm_ _a stalker_ _to_ _catch_ _a_ _glimpse_ _of_ _her,_ he thought as he twirled his pen between his fingers. She not only delivered his morning breakfast, but most importantly to Yash, she delivered herself. And Yash wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. He'd take what he could from the girl.

Kagome watched InuYasha from the corner of her eye. Delivering donuts and coffee was a weak, pathetic excuse she used to see him every day, but, hell, it worked. That's all she cared about. _It_ _was_ _a_ _start_, Kagome thought. There was just too much hurt between them, too much that went unspoken. Until they could clear the air, they would continue to walk on eggshells around each other. But, at least for now, they established a peaceful routine.

Even if she just wanted to jump on him and declare her love, she would take it slow. She would let them get to know each other again. She wouldn't give him up without a fight, she resolved. She _wouldn_'_t_.

Kagome walked over to the photos and picked up Shippo's. She couldn't wait to see the little kitsune again. Well, he wouldn't be that little anymore, she chastised herself. InuYasha had told her that Shippo would be home soon, and she counted the days until she saw him again.

Yash watched the girl, half listening to the voice on the other end of the line. He felt a twinge of guilt as he noticed the circles that began to darken under her eyes. He pushed the feeling away as he followed her movements with half hooded eyes. _Damn_, _she_ _has_ _her_ _hair_ _pinned_ _up_ _again_. His gaze travelled up her slender legs. Her thighs disappeared up a short, black skirt …

_Damn_, _who_ _the_ _hell_ _is_ _on_ _the_ _phone_ _again_? _Shit_. He mumbled something he hoped was intelligible into the phone as he continued to observe Kagome with predatory eyes.

_She must have a meeting today_, he smirked. Usually she showed up to work dressed in something she called 'gortex' and 'fleece'. She had tried explaining about the fabrics and how she bought all these clothes in a place called 'Mountain Equipment Co-op', or something like that. Yash wasn't exactly listening to her as she gushed on and on about the place. He was too busy watching how her lips moved when she accentuated her words.

His brother had commented about the way his two research chairs always dressed like they were about to hike up a mountain. Yash had to laugh at Sesshomaru's chagrin. But, the inu-youkai had to hold his tongue when he realized the late nights those two spent in the lab. After all, comfort won over protocol. And Sesshomaru and Gourou were the ones who wanted a solution quickly. Another stab of guilt grabbed at Yash, but he shook it off.

Yash hung up the phone as Kagome came over and stood in front of his desk.

Leaning forward, he tried to peek into the bag. "What did you bring me today?"

Kagome whipped the bag up and brought it to her chest. "Nuh uh, you have to guess."

It had become their little game for Yash to guess what type of donuts Kagome brought every day.

Yash rolled his eyes, but complied. He leaned back into his chair. "Chocolate and honey glazed."

"Hmmm… partially right on the chocolate."

At his mock scowl, she laughingly gave in. With a show of flair, she lifted a boston cream donut out of the bag and placed it onto a napkin. She stepped back and waited.

"Sprinkles?"

"Nope."

"Vanilla frosting?"

"Guess again."

"Honey glazed."

Kagome laughed. She put her hands behind her back and slightly rocked on the balls of her feet. "You've already guessed that."

Yash growled, "Blueberry."

"That's not a donut flavour."

"It is a donut, right?" he asked suspiciously.

The one time she had surprised him with a healthy bran muffin. He grimaced and reluctantly choked it down, complaining every second. Kagome just giggled and cajoled him into eating healthier. He teasingly growled that if she was delivering healthy foods, she could skip him.

She laughingly agreed to stick to donuts, although she did manage to sneak in the occasional scone or muffin. At times when she did, InuYasha would simply shoot her a look and eat the offensive baked goods without further complaint. Secretly, he would have put anything she brought into his mouth and swallowed it down, but he wouldn't tell her _that_.

"Yes, it's a donut." Kagome laughed brightly breaking into the hanyou's thoughts.

"Lemon filled."

"Nuh uh."

"Maple walnut."

"Not even close."

"Sugar."

"Nope."

"Caramel, cinnamon?"

"No and no."

Yash threw his hands up exasperatedly. "Okay, I give up. Do I still get it?"

Kagome giggled as she lifted out a donut with white and pink frosting. She placed it on the napkin beside the other one.

"Hey! It's got vanilla frosting on it. My guess should have counted," protested the hanyou.

"Oh, don't complain. You still get the donut. I should start bringing you scones again."

At his scowl, she grinned like a Cheshire cat. "Okay, okay, donuts. Just don't ask me to bring you ramen for lunch."

"Hey, that's not a bad idea ..."

Kagome narrowed her eyes, "InuYasha…"

He wagged his brows at her. "I _am_ the boss."

"Humph." Kagome turned to go, but she couldn't hide the wide smile gracing her lips. "Have a nice day, _Mr_. _Takahashi_."

Her laughter floated out the door.

Chuckling, Yash looked down at his desk and froze at the image on the culinary treat. Kagome had gotten him the special donut of the month, one in recognition of the western holiday, Valentine's Day.

It was a heart.


	11. Miko on a Rope

Disclaimer: InuYasha is owned by Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan Inc. and Viz Media. Story and all original characters created are owned by me.

**Chapter 10: Miko on a Rope**

-x-x-x-x-

_Chuckling_, _Yash_ _looked_ _down_ _at_ _his_ _desk_ _and_ _froze_ _at_ _the_ _image_ _on_ _the_ _culinary_ _treat_. _Kagome_ _had_ _gotten_ _him_ _the_ _special_ _donut_ _of_ _the_ _month_, _one_ _in_ _recognition_ _of_ _the_ _western_ _holiday_, _Valentine_'_s_ _Day_.

_It_ _was_ _a_ _heart_.

-x-x-x-x-

Yash Takahashi was guilty.

He had a little secret that he was keeping from Kagome — just one little thing that was vital to the success of the project. Oh, who was he kidding? It was the missing link she was so desperately seeking, and he knew what it was. The problem was that he didn't want to tell her. He meant to tell her. In fact, he actually tried to in the beginning, but the more he thought about it, the more he decided to keep silent.

So, he watched as Kagome struggled day in and day out, as the lab lights burned deep into the night and the fatigue started to settle in. He watched as guilty threads began to weave into his heart.

Yes, he was guilty.

He knew he should just tell her. But… but he just couldn't. Not yet… maybe not ever.

He just wasn't ready to lose her again.

So, he kept his mouth shut and watched the woman he loved struggle on.

-x-x-x-x-

Kagome Higurashi was tired.

Her team was working non-stop trying to find the missing link — the secret formula in which to turn the project around. What the hell was it? It floated on the edges of her subconscious and, as she tried to grasp it, it would flutter away like a thought to the wind.

So, she struggled on.

It helped that the rest of her team were youkai. They didn't require the rest that humans did, so they worked late into the night.

Kazuki had to force Kagome to leave the lab time and time again to get some much needed rest. After all, she was human. Her body wasn't built for the endless stamina that came so readily to a youkai.

It also didn't help matters that Kagome was a miko. Once that fact spread like wild fire through the complex — that there was a very powerful miko on-site — all of the departments scurried to get their hands on her abilities. Kagome was stretched to her limits. Every time she turned around, there was someone else who needed her assistance. "Oh, please, just one little barrier?" "Oh, we just need your spiritual power, please." "We need your opinion." "We need — ", "Can you please —"

The requests were endless, and Kagome didn't have the heart to turn them down. That was her downfall; she simply couldn't say no.

-x-x-x-x-

Kazuki Matsumoto was frustrated.

He watched, yet again, as his research partner was pulled out of the lab in a quest to erect another barrier for another team. He needed Kagome here, helping them with _their_ project, not galloping around assisting other departments.

He growled in frustration. How the hell would they ever find a solution if his partner — his _human_ partner — worked herself to death, just for the small, simple fact that she couldn't say no?

He tried desperately to get Kagome to stop saying yes to every request, but it was like watching a train wreck in slow motion. The stubborn girl refused to deny her assistance to others in need.

He tried to talk to Yash about it to get the hanyou to stop the distractions, but their _boss_ stubbornly refused to intervene. _What the hell_? It was like Yash didn't care or _didn_'_t want them to succeed_.

As the days wore on, he watched helplessly as his project chair spiraled into exhaustion.

His next step was to go over Yash's head and straight to Sesshomaru. Perhaps the inu-youkai could step in and halt the madness that had become Kagome's life.

-x-x-x-x-

"I have an appointment to see Mr. Sesshomaru Takahashi," said the formidable figure standing in front of Amara.

"Yes, sir. Your name, please?"

"General Haru Matsumoto."

Amara picked up the phone to inform Rini that Sesshomaru's eleven o'clock appointment had arrived. After hanging up, she smiled at the visitor, the gleam not quite reaching her scheming eyes. "Rini will be right out to take you into Mr. Takahashi's office."

She studied the visitor. Taking a well polished nail and tapping her cheek, she asked, "Are you related to Kazuki?"

"You know Kaz?"

"Oh yes. We're very close friends, Kaz and I," said the wolf youkai silkily.

"Takumi told me my nephew was in town. Is he in today?"

"Yes, he's down in the Hanyou Science Department," lied Amara. She didn't know where the hell Kazuki was, nor did she really care.

Rini appeared through the door and bowed. "General Matsumoto, my name is Rini Youshida. Mr. Takahashi has been expecting you. Please follow me."

With a slight bow, the general followed Rini into the inner offices.

Yash came out of his office in time to see the inu-youkai walk into Sesshomaru's office.

"That's Kazuki's uncle, the general," purred a voice in his ear.

Yash stilled. "Thanks, but I didn't ask."

"Such a lovely gentleman. Told me how much he loves his nephew and can't wait to see him. How he's so anxiously waiting to meet Kagome."

At the mention of her name, Yash whipped his eyes to Amara's.

_Aha_, _got your attention now_. Amara internally smirked.

"Why does he want to see Kagome?"

"Oh, Kazuki's father told him all about how close Kazuki and Kagome are. You know, how the little human scientist captured his nephew's heart and all that." She waved her hand casually. "How the whole family is waiting for the two of them to settle down. You know, that sort of thing." Her conniving little mind was working overtime.

She continued on, pretending not to notice Yash's discomfort. "Both of them being scientists, they must have soooo many things in common. Kagome Matsumoto – has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

Amara slyly glanced at Yash and sneered at his expression. The normally strong hanyou looked like he was ready to crack. _And I_'_ll be the one picking up the pieces_. She smirked triumphantly as she turned and headed back to her desk. _Gotcha_.

-x-x-x-x-

Yash was still rooted to the spot, lost in thought, as Sesshomaru walked out of his office a few minutes later with General Matsumoto in tow.

"General, my brother, Yash Takahashi. Yash, you remember General Haru Matsumoto."

Yash and the General bowed politely to each other.

"Yash, I was about to show Haru around our facility. We are just heading down to see his nephew, Kazuki. Perhaps you would like to join us since you are in charge of their latest project?"

It was raised as a question, but Yash knew better. His brother's look plainly said, _join us or else_.

Yash sighed and pasted a smile onto his face. "I'd be happy to join you on your tour." _One good thing about this, at least I get to see Kagome_.

-x-x-x-x-

"Kagome, go to bed."

Kagome rubbed her eyes tiredly. "No, Kaz, I'm fine."

"Yeah, real fine. You're practically falling asleep on your feet," Kazuki said sarcastically.

"I'll be fine, really."

Kagome leaned over to pick up a vial and stumbled.

Kazuki reached out quickly and grabbed his friend by the waist. Supporting her, he scowled down. "Yeah, you're real fine, Kags. You can't even stand up, much less function properly. I'm not going to repeat myself. Go home and get some sleep. Now."

"I can't, Kaz. We have so much to do today. The vials —"

"Ack!" Kagome was abruptly swept her off her feet as Kazuki picked her up. Carrying her against his chest like a small child, he strode to the door.

"Kaz, put me down!"

"Not a chance. If the only way to get you home is to carry you, so be it."

"Kaz!"

Kazuki looked down, his expression broke no argument.. "Kagome. Shut up."

Kagome opened and shut her mouth indignantly. "Did you just tell me to shut up?"

Not breaking his stride, Kazuki punched the elevator button. "Yes. You can bitch and moan all you want. You're still going home."

He looked down at her and his expression softened. "Kags, you need to sleep. You're worn out. You're no good to me in the lab if you're stumbling around breaking all of the vials. Now let me take you home. You can get some rest and then come back later, okay?"

When she opened her mouth to protest, he leaned in until his face was mere inches away from hers. "Don't."

Kagome slumped into his arms, resigned.

"Go to sleep, Kags. I'll get you home safe and sound, I promise."

Relaxing against her friend, Kagome took a deep breath. It felt so good to just unwind. The last few weeks finally took its toll on the young woman as exhaustion consumed her body, and she closed her eyes.

"You know, Kags, maybe we should just put a bed in —" Kazuki looked down at the woman in his arms. She had finally succumbed to sleep.

-x-x-x-x-

The elevator doors opened.

Kazuki looked up to three pairs of startled eyes as three youkai filed out of the elevator.

General Matsumoto was the first to break the silence. "Kaz, my boy. What are you doing?" He peered closer at the woman in his nephew's arms. "Is that Dr. Higurashi?"

Kazuki greeted his uncle. "Hello, Uncle. Yes, this is Kagome." He nodded slightly before casting a weary glance at the other two youkai.

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow. "Kazuki, what are you doing?"

Kazuki shifted Kagome in his arms, and a slight sigh escaped the young woman's lips as she snuggled closer to him. "Kagome is tired. I'm taking her home."

He moved to go past the three, but stopped at Sesshomaru's question. "Why is Kagome sleeping?"

His nerves at a breaking point, Kazuki willed himself to take a deep breath before turning to address the inu-youkai in a tightly controlled voice, "Because this is what happens when a human goes with only three hours of sleep, working her ass off on a project with a two month deadline. Because all of your damn departments won't leave her alone, and she just can't say no to them. On top of that, she plays delivery girl, fetching fucking donuts every morning." At this last bit he glared at Yash, who had the decency to look ashamed.

Sesshomaru spared a glance at Yash at the donut part.

"Look, Sesshomaru, Kagome's running on fumes —"

"Fumes? Is she a car?"

Kazuki rolled his eyes. "No, Uncle. That's just an expression. It means she's reached her limits and she's exhausted. Obviously, since she hasn't woken up with all this jabbering around her."

Yash kept his eyes adverted. He had remained silent throughout the whole exchange; his fists gripped tightly at his sides. He was trying frantically to hide his raging emotions. He didn't know what he felt more of: guilt or anger.

The guilt was consuming him at seeing the haggard look on Kagome's face, even in sleep. The other part of him wanted to rip Kagome right out of Kazuki's arms. Fuck! He couldn't stand seeing his Kagome in another man's embrace. It was killing him!

Mastering his heated blood, Yash said tonelessly, "Kazuki, take Kagome back to her apartment and make sure she gets some rest."

Kazuki paused and studied the other hanyou's expressionless face. Finally, he gave a curt nod and turned around to stroll into the elevator.

As soon as the elevator doors closed, Sesshomaru turned and pinned Yash with a look.

Yash cringed at his brother's pointed glare. He'd have to tell Sesshomaru the truth. _Shit_.

-x-x-x-x-

The rest of the general's tour passed in relative silence, at least on the part of the hanyou who quietly followed along. After what seemed like hours to Yash, they finally bid the general good-bye, with Sesshomaru inviting Haru to a family dinner on Saturday.

_Great_, _fucking family dinner_. _He'll expect me there too_. _Fuck_, _Sesshomaru_.

It was in silence as the Takahashi brothers watched the general leave. It was in silence as they ascended the elevator up to the top floor, and it was in silence as the hanyou followed his brother into his office and slumped into a chair.

_Stolen moments_. That's how Yash thought of the last couple of weeks with Kagome. Well, a few stolen moments were better than nothing. He just wished he could have had more time_, like forever_.

When the silence became deafening, Yash looked up at Sesshomaru and got caught in the intense amber gaze that regarded him.

_What the hell is the baka up to_? "Kagome is working herself to death and you knew about it. What the hell is going on?"

Yash looked out the window, and exhaled a soft sigh and proceeded to tell Sesshomaru the truth. After he hesitantly explained all that he knew, Yash waited for the explosion. He wasn't disappointed.

"You baka, you jeopardized not only the project, but Kagome's life? I thought the miko meant more to you than that."

"She does! Don't you dare say otherwise, bastard!"

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes. "Yash," he growled warningly.

"I-I just didn't want to lose her," he reluctantly admitted.

Sesshomaru leaned back into this chair. "Explain."

Yash looked away, trying to hide the pain in his eyes. "Kagome's going to marry Kazuki."

Sesshomaru silently contemplated his brother. "Kagome has told you this?"

"No... not yet."

"Then how can you be sure of this?"

"I just know, dammit! Okay?! Enough of the grilling. Trust me, it's going to happen."

"And you are not going to do anything about it?"

"What the fuck does that mean?"

"You love Kagome," stated the inu-youkai matter-of-factly.

"You don't understand, Sess. She loves someone else. I have to be the better man and let her go."

"You would do that without a fight?"

Yash slanted his eyes. "Keh, you're one to talk. What about Rin?"

"What about her?" snarled Sesshomaru.

"She would never have gone into the village if you didn't let her go."

"We are not talking about Rin."

"It's the same damn thing, Sesshomaru, and you know it."

Sesshomaru placed his palms on his desk and leaned in to sneer, "It is not the same thing, baka. She was a child to me. I wasn't going to _marry_ her."

"But you still loved her."

Sesshomaru regarded his brother stonily. "Leave Rin out of this."

"And you fucking stay out of this," Yash shot back.

The two sat in stilted silence as a battle of internal wills took place.

Finally, Yash rubbed his face tiredly. "Just stay out of this, Sesshomaru. This is what Kagome wants. She's marrying the man she loves, and who the hell am I to stand in her way?"

Sesshomaru was about to reply but then simply shook his head. _Damn baka_, _he_'_s too_ _stubborn to listen to reasoning_.

Sesshomaru dismissed the hanyou with a reminder of Saturday dinner.

Shooting his brother a dark look, Yash paused at the threshold. "What are you going to do about the project?"

"Leave everything to me."

Sesshomaru sat pondering after Yash left his office. After a few moments he picked up the telephone. "Rini, get the Kitsune Temple in China on the line. I need to speak to Shippo Takahashi."

_It was time for some intervention_.


	12. Meet the Takahashis

Disclaimer: InuYasha is owned by Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan Inc. and Viz Media. Story and all original characters created are owned by me.

**Chapter 11: Meet the Takahashis**

-x-x-x-x-

_Sesshomaru_ _sat_ _pondering_ _after_ _Yash_ _left_ _his_ _office_. _After_ _a_ _few_ _moments_ _he_ _picked_ _up_ _the_ _telephone_. "_Rini_, _get_ _the_ _Kitsune_ _Temple_ _in_ _China_ _on_ _the_ _line_. _I_ _need_ _to_ _speak_ _to_ _Shippo_ _Takahashi_."

_It_ _was_ _time_ _for_ _some_ _intervention_.

-x-x-x-x-

"I can't believe we're going to Sesshomaru Takahashi's house! He never invites any of his staff to his place!" exclaimed Sakura as she smoothed down the skirt of her multi-coloured cocktail dress for the hundredth time.

Kagome glanced at the woman seated across from her. The excitement radiating off of the inu-youkai was contagious, and Kagome couldn't help but smile.

_She_'_s_ _gorgeous_, Kagome thought as she took in Sakura's flirty ensemble. It was bright and feminine and suited her outgoing personality to a tee. Her dress was crossed in front cinching in at the waist with a skirt that flared out in a swirl of colour. Her trademark hoop earrings were a bright pink to match the flashes of magenta in her outfit. Kagome watched her research partner from the corner of her eye._ Kazuki_ _sure_ _likes_ _that_ _dress_.

Beside Sakura, Fuji fidgeted with his tie with one hand and studiously wiped his pant leg with the other. "Do you think I look okay? I wasn't sure what to wear. I had two suits: a black one and this moss green one." He looked at Kazuki's outfit. "Do you think I should have worn black instead? Did I make the wrong choice? Kami, I'm so nervous."

Kazuki leaned across his seat and slapped Fuji's hand away from his tie. "You look fine. Stop fidgeting like a girl," he mockingly growled.

"Hey! What does that mean, 'fidget like a girl?' I resent that remark," huffed Sakura.

Kagome tuned out Kazuki's reply as she looked out the window of the limousine and mused as the scenery changed from concrete grey to forest green. _I_ _wonder_ _why_ _Sesshomaru_ _invited_ _us_ _to_ _dinner_? _From_ _the_ _sounds_ _of_ _it_, _it_'_s_ _not_ _something_ _he_ _would_ _normally_ _do_. She was feeling a bit apprehensive or maybe it was just nerves. She wasn't sure what she was feeling; she couldn't really pinpoint it down. All she knew was that tonight was a big night — something was going to happen — she felt it in her bones. She wasn't sure if it was premonition or just anticipation. Whatever it was, it put her on edge.

Lost in thought, she didn't realize Kazuki had inched closer to her until his words broke into her reverie. "Penny for your thoughts."

Kagome turned to give her friend a half smile. "You know, you owe me a lot of pennies. You're in major debt now."

Kazuki blew out his breath. "Yeah, well, if I'm in debt, at least it's to you, Kags." He looked at her closely. "Are you okay? You seem a bit down."

Glancing at their companions who were twittering away like two overly excited birds, Kagome slightly shook her head. "No, I'm fine."

"Are you still mad at me for keeping you in bed?"

Kagome gave a small chuckle. "No, I'm not mad. Although, I do think two days was overkill."

Kazuki grinned and shrugged. "Hey, that was Sesshomaru's orders. Keep you in bed until you were well rested."

"Two days, Kaz?"

"Look, Kags, it wasn't like we found a solution without you in those two days. Come on — admit it, you needed that."

"Okay, I'll admit it, but it doesn't mean I have to like it."

"Hey, at least Sesshomaru has promised to keep his staff away from you. No more miko duty for you, young lady."

"I have to admit, that's a relief. I had such a hard time saying 'no'."

"Really, you don't say," Kazuki mocked as he watched Kagome shift in her seat, pulling down the skirt that kept threatening to ride up her thighs.

He eyed her outfit with admiration. She was wearing a sexy strapless cocktail dress with a white square-line bodice that displayed her cleavage to its full advantage. The empire waist accentuated her hour glass figure and the fitted black skirt fell to above her knees, showing off her shapely legs. _Damn_, _she_'_s_ _got_ _great_ _legs_. "Hey, did I tell you how gorgeous you are?"

"Yes, you did, three times. You're pretty handsome yourself." Kazuki was wearing his black Hugo Boss suit that showed off his tall, lean physique and flaunted the width of his muscular shoulders. Under the suit, he wore a slate blue shirt and a black silk tie with charcoal stripes.

"Yeah," Kazuki laughed lightly, "I clean up pretty good, eh?"

"More than good." She reached over and adjusted his tie knot. "Okay, this is the second tie I've seen you in. Do you have a collection that I don't know about?"

"Well, I have to look respectable, don't I?" He glanced at their friends, rotated his finger in the air and leaned in to whisper, "After all, we're going to meet the Takahashis. Wheee!"

Kagome burst into giggles and slapped his hand down. Sakura and Fuji stopped their conversation and looked at the two of them, which made Kagome laugh even harder.

"Now that's more like the Kags I know."

It felt good to laugh and it eased some of the tension Kagome was feeling.

Fuji caught Kagome's gaze when she looked up. "Are you nervous, Kagome? I mean, you'll probably be the only human there tonight. That's got to be nerve wracking, right?"

Kagome smiled at him. "No, I'm used to it. I'm not nervous. Well, maybe just a little," she admitted. "I _am_ curious to see who will be there tonight."

Fuji looked curiously at her. "I heard that you know the Takahashis quite well. If I'm not being too nosy, can I ask how you know them?"

Sakura leaned forward, her interested piqued as well.

Kagome looked over at Kazuki who simply raised his eyebrow. _It_'_s_ _up_ _to_ _you_ _to_ _decide_ _how_ _much_ _to_ _tell_ _them_, _darling_.

_Thanks a lot_. She turned to her friends. "Well, I've known them for a while, before I started at the Masumoto Corporation. Umm – I was friends with InuYasha…"

"You used to date him, didn't you?"

At Kagome's surprised look, Fuji stammered, "I mean, you did right? That's what everyone's been s-saying…" He trailed off, embarrassed to be repeating rumors about his supervisor.

Kagome lowered her eyebrows in concern. "Oh really."

Kazuki patted her knee. "Kagome and Yash were, _are_ friends. And rumors are just that, rumors. We're too busy to pay attention to what other people are gossiping about. You two should be too. Life's too short to worry about what others say or think."

Sakura and Fuji looked abashed and mumbled apologies.

"Well, there'll be one person I know there tonight, my uncle Haru." Kazuki turned to Kagome. "You missed meeting him the other day."

"I was too busy sleeping," she said peevishly.

Kazuki laughed. "Yeah, you were. In my arms."

"What?!"

"Oh, riiight. I forgot to tell you. Remember that day I carried you home?"

Kagome narrowed her eyes. "Yes…"

"Well, I ran into my uncle and Sesshomaru."

"Kaz!"

"Oh, and by the way, Yash was there too. He's the one who told me to take you to bed."

"Kazuki Matsumoto! You didn't!"

"Well, of course I did. What's the problem, Kags? You were tired. I was just carrying you home."

"But, but… what must people think of you carrying me home?" _What_ _did_ _InuYasha_ _think_? _Was_ _he_ _mad_? _Oh_ _Kami_, _I_ _hope_ _not_!

"Well, I think it's kind of sweet," Sakura said.

Kazuki flung an arm out. "See, she thinks it's sweet."

Kagome buried her face into her hands. "Oh, I can't believe it. Kaz, why didn't you tell me?"

"Oh, it's not that bad, Kagome," reassured Fuji. "No one thinks less of you since it was your boyfriend who carried you home."

"What?!" both voices rose above Fuji's.

Kazuki's voice was dead calm when he asked, "What did you just say?"

"I-I….umm... what did I say?"

Sakura eyed their research chairs and slowly said, "Well… you two are a couple, aren't you?"

"No!"

"Absolutely not!"

Kagome was speechless. If her friends thought that she and Kazuki were dating – that Kaz was actually her boyfriend – what must other … people … think… InuYasha… Kagome went numb as thoughts clicked into place. _Oh_, _Kami_! _Did_ _InuYasha_ _think_ _that_ _she_ _and_ _Kaz_… _that_ _they_ _were_… _Oh_, _Kami_!

She turned shocked eyes to Kazuki who looked equally as surprised. "What makes you two think that we're a couple?"

"That's what some of the employees are saying, and, well—" Sakura glanced at Fuji. "Well, we just assumed there was some truth to the rumors. You two are just so close and," a blush heated up Sakura's face as she pointed at Kazuki, "you're always calling her darling and… you're always… touching."

"Oh." Kagome could only stare open mouthed as Kazuki burst out laughing.

Punching him in the shoulder, Kagome glared at her friend. "It's not funny, Kaz!" she hissed.

"Y-y-yes, it is," chortled Kazuki. "They think just because we're touchy-feely, that you and I are dating."

"Kaz! I'm not touchy-feely, you are!" Pushing him to calm down, Kagome focused her attention on their friends. "First off, we are not, I repeat, not dating and, Kami, we are not a couple. We are just friends. Really good friends, but just _friends_." Kagome rubbed her forehead. _Oh_ _Kami_, _how_ _do_ _I_ _explain_ _my_ _relationship_ _with_ _Kaz_? _I_ _forgot_ _that_ _in_ _Japan_ _people_ _are_ _more_ _reserved_ _in_ _showing_ _their_ _affections_.

Lowering her hand, she looked directly at her friends. "You have to remember Kazuki is Canadian. He grew up in a western culture where displays of public affection are common. He's just a product of his environment. He's open with his feelings and isn't afraid to show his emotions. His whole family's like that. I've been in Canada for so long, it's just natural for me to hug a friend or display friendly gestures." Wringing her hands in dismay, she asked Kazuki, "What must everyone have thought of us?"

"Well, obviously they thought we were dating," Kazuki retorted. He started to pat Kagome's knee to calm her down and stopped an inch away when she glared at him. Grinning madly, he made an exaggerated show of moving his hand away. "Sorry, habit."

Sakura wasn't sure how to broach the subject, so she treaded slowly. "There's probably something else you two should know…" She looked for reinforcement from Fuji who shrugged helplessly at her. Taking a deep breath she spat it out in a rush, her words jumbling over one another. "There's a rumor going around about the two of you – that you're getting married."

Kagome stared at her speechless. Even Kazuki stopped his laughing fit to gape at the youkai.

"Who the hell started a rumor like that?" Kazuki demanded.

"I-I think that Amara did. She's been going around telling people. And, oh… I'm so sorry —"

"That bitch!" Kazuki was outraged. _That_ _damn_ _wolf_ _youkai_ _bitch_!

"We're so sorry, Kagome, Kazuki," Fuji said apologetically.

"We are. We should have tried to stop the rumors," added Sakura.

Kagome took a deep breath. "No, it wasn't your fault. You two thought that Kaz and I were…" She looked over at her friend who was watching her with concerned eyes. "Kami, Kaz, how did this happen?"

"I'm sorry, Kags. That was one rumor _I_ didn't hear."

A barrage of emotions crossed Kagome's face, and Kazuki could read every one of them: _Shock_, e_mbarrassment_, _anger_, _worry_. Proprieties be damned, he leaned over and hugged her. "It's okay, Kags, don't worry about it."

Uneasiness flooded her eyes. "But what if InuYasha heard those rumors," she whispered.

"Then you'll just have to set him straight."

Kagome nodded. _Hopefully_, _InuYasha_ _didn_'_t_ _hear_ _the_ _rumors_ _and_ _if_ _he_ _did_ _please_ _don_'_t_ _let_ _him_ _believe_ _them_. But, if he did… _Oh_ _Kami_, _do_ _I_ _ever_ _need_ _to_ _talk_ _to_ _him_.

Their conversation was cut short as the limousine started ascending up a low mountainside, and a white stone citadel came into view amidst the forest canopy.

"Oh Kami, it's a castle!" blurted Fuji. "Look at that fortress! It's huge!"

They were awestruck as Sesshomaru's impressive 'home' came into clearer view. Even the ever talkative Kazuki was speechless. None of them had ever seen anything like it.

The flat-land mountain castle was one of a handful of original castles left in Japan that had not been destroyed by war or fire. It was built on top of a low mountainside offering a 360 degree panoramic view of the surrounding forests. 500 years earlier, when his young ward, Rin, still travelled with him, Sesshomaru had the fortress built to eradicate their nomadic lifestyle. Over the centuries, the great inu-youkai had fortified the residence with a myriad of defenses including a stone wall and surrounding moat to combat the threat of war.

A natural stone bridge stretched across the water to lead into the castle. As their vehicle came to the end of the bridge, a torri gate came into view. The Inu no Taishou family crests in black and gold lacquer trim were portrayed over the surface of the gate with the phase "Between Two Worlds" inscribed across the front.

As the car drove under the wooden gate, Kagome craned her neck to catch a glimpse of the decorations adorning the underside of the gate and noticed that it was embellished with carvings of white demon dogs and lords.

_How_ _odd_, Kagome thought. Only temples and sacred places used such gates to mark the gateway between the physical and spiritual worlds. It seemed very strange for an inu-youkai having one lead to his very house.

_The_ _transition_ _between_ _two_ _worlds_. Kagome suddenly understood the double meaning as she felt a tingling sensation vibrating in her body. They were entering a barrier. She turned to address Kazuki and, without surprise, noted the previously dark-haired occupants of the vehicle suddenly had silver hair.

Kagome had no more time to reflect on the meaning behind the gate as the limousine pulled up in front of the main residence: a large, multi-story tower which was franked by surrounding watch towers, various walls and more gates.

The four of them exited the car into an inner courtyard that was lit up with hundreds of lanterns, casting ghostly shadows throughout the enclosure.

Taking a deep breath, Kagome turned towards the staircase leading up to the 'house'.

It was time to meet the Takahashis.

-x-x-x-x-

The group was ushered up the stairwell and into the main residence. Upon filing inside, they were greeted by Sesshomaru, immaculate as always in a custom tailored Caraceni suit. Standing beside him was a female inu-youkai, breathtakingly beautiful in a floor length, navy strapless gown.

Kazuki took the lead and bowed politely. "Good evening."

Sesshomaru returned the bow and greeted his guests. Turning to his companion, he made introductions. "I would like you to meet my wife, Amaterasu."

Amaterasu bowed politely and greeted their guests, "Welcome to our home." Her voice had a musical lilt to it, and they all stood in awe in the presence of the attractive youkai.

Kagome didn't think that she would ever meet a youkai equal to Sesshomaru's beauty, but she was wrong. Amaterasu was like a female version of her husband: ethereal, exquisite, graceful and elegant. Her aura pulsated with power. The two stood side by side, so unearthly in appearance that they seemed untouchable.

A side door opened and two younger inu-youkai entered the foyer. Even before the introductions were made, Kagome knew who they were. Celestial and sophisticated, Daichi and Chouko were younger versions of their parents.

Daichi could easily have been mistaken for Sesshomaru's twin if it wasn't for the mischievous glint in his eyes and the flirtatious way he greeted their guests. _Hmmm_, _not_ _as_ _stoic_ _as_ _his_ _father_.

Sesshomaru's daughter, Chouko, was relaxed and friendly as she dispensed with all formalities by extending her hand to greet them.

After introductions were made, Chouko turned to her mother. "Rei had a question about dinner and," shrugging an elegant shoulder, "I wasn't sure what the answer was."

Amaterasu sighed and excused herself before she left for the kitchen with Chouko in tow.

Fuji took the opportunity to compliment the inu-youkai on their impressive castle, and Daichi offered to take him on a tour of the 'house.' Fuji enthusiastically agreed and after some discussion, Sakura decided to join them as well. Kagome and Kazuki declined and stayed behind with Sesshomaru. They watched as the trio headed out an open archway.

Noticing the paintings hanging on the walls of the wide corridor, Kagome wandered over to take a closer look. Most of them were familiar faces: Sesshomaru's wife, his children, and a few of the inu-youkai lord himself. There was even one of InuYasha. It was at this portrait that Kagome stared at longingly. InuYasha was dressed in his red hoari, Tessaiga at the ready, his hair whipping in the wind casting a silver halo around him. _What_ _did_ _these_ _two_ _brothers_ _endure_ _together_ _over_ _the_ _years_ _that_ _would_ _make_ _Sesshomaru_ _finally_ _accept_ _his_ _younger_ _sibling_ _enough_ _to_ _hang_ _a_ _portrait_ _of_ _him_ _in_ _his_ _house_? Kagome smiled at the thought.

Turning to the youkai, Kagome commented, "Nice portrait."

Sesshomaru gave her a slight smirk. "I figured you would like this one."

"Is InuYasha here?" she asked casually.

Not taken in by Kagome's blasé question, Sesshomaru gave her a knowing look and explained, "Yash will be arriving shortly. He went to the airport to pick up Shippo."

_Shippo_! Kagome's eyes shone. "I didn't know that Shippo was coming home today."

"Neither did Yash." If she didn't know any better, Sesshomaru sounded a little smug with that remark.

Her thoughts consumed with seeing the little kitsune again, Kagome barely glanced at the rest of the portraits as she and Kazuki continued to follow Sesshomaru down the hallway. She came to the last portrait and suddenly stopped.

She stared up at the portrait. It was an exquisite painting with a tapestry lovingly draped around it. Kagome traced the portrait with her eyes, tears welling up as she stood looking at the little girl dancing in a field of butterflies. Her orange kimono gently swirled around her, and a look of happiness radiated from her face. Time stood still as Kagome heard Rin's voice floating out through the frame… _Sesshomaru-sama_, _wait_ _for_ _Rin_!... _Thank_ _you_, _Kagome-chan_…. _Jakan-sama_, _let_'s _go_! … Dear, sweet, little Rin that followed the tai-youkai lord everywhere.

"She lived a good life." She detected a slight catch in the normally impassive voice behind her.

"I'm glad," Kagome said softly.

"She always did like butterflies." He paused and looked pointedly at Kagome as if waiting for enlightenment, but the miko was too absorbed in the painting. "500 years ago, they were always in abundance."

A flood of emotions overcame Kagome. It happened every time she was given a reminder of the Feudal era. She merely nodded, the words caught in her throat. "I-it's a beautiful portrait. Did Shippo paint it?"

The youkai snorted, and Kagome jumped in surprise at the unlikely sound coming from Sesshomaru. "No, he did not. I trusted this portrait only to one who knew her."

What was it with Sesshomaru's cryptic responses? Couldn't he just be straightforward for once?

Wanting to compose herself before meeting the rest of his guests, Kagome turned to the youkai and requested a few moments alone.

Sesshomaru regarded her solemnly before giving his agreement. He asked Kazuki to escort Kagome down to the reception chamber at the end of the hall when they were ready.

Kagome felt his aura move away, replaced by Kazuki's more soothing presence.

"Did you know her?"

Glancing behind her, she answered, "Yes, her name was Rin. Sesshomaru saved her life, and she followed him everywhere."

Kazuki snorted. "I can't imagine Sesshomaru allowing a snippet of a girl to follow him."

Kagome slanted her gaze at him, a smile playing on her lips. "How do you think we felt 500 years ago, when _that_ Sesshomaru wouldn't have hesitated to kill us all?"

"That much of a bad-ass was he?"

Kagome laughed out loud. "You have no idea."

One of the doors to the left of them opened, and they were joined by Sesshomaru's daughter.

"It's a beautiful painting," Kagome complimented as she slanted a look at the beautiful youkai who came to stand beside her.

Chouko smiled. "It is. It's also the only thing that my mother ever fought my father over."

Kagome looked over, startled at the admission.

It was Kazuki who voiced the question that they both wanted to ask, "If I'm not being too bold, why would your parents fight over a picture?"

"Because it was Rin." It was stated plainly as if that alone answered the question.

Kagome suspected what the youkai was trying to say, but Kazuki not privy to earlier knowledge of the individuals, had no quarrel in asking further questions. "What does that mean?"

Chouko looked pointedly at Kazuki. "Properly raised inu-youkai do not show jealousy. Once married or mated, as that antiquated term is still used, it is forever. Because we join for life there is no reason to be jealous. But this," she raised an elegant hand towards the picture, "this show of devotion from _my_ father; it was too much, even for my mother."

Chouko gave them a sly grin before she moved away.

Kagome was curious. "Who painted it?" she asked the retreating figure.

Looking over her shoulder, Chouko replied, "Father did not trust anyone else to paint that." She paused and asked out of the blue, "Do you know what my name means?"

At their confused looks and slight shake of their heads, Chouko smiled. "My name means 'butterfly child'. Who do you think I was named for?" With that, she walked down the hallway, leaving Kagome staring at her in awed silence.

"What is it with this family and their cryptic answers?" grumbled Kazuki.

Looking at the portrait, Kagome felt a twinge in her heart. What was it with these Takahashi brothers? They showed the world only what they wanted them to see: cold, ruthless bastards. In reality, they both had hearts as solid as gold and as big as the heavens. _Sesshomaru_.

Kazuki noticed the look of softness on Kagome's face. "Okay, what gives? I feel like I'm the only one who's not in on the secret."

"Sesshomaru, he painted it himself."

Kazuki's eyes bulged. "_He_ painted it?"

Kagome smiled, nodding. "Didn't you hear Sesshomaru? He did say he wouldn't have trusted anyone else to paint it. And he named his biological daughter after her, Rin, his _first _daughter."

_Butterfly_ _child_. She returned her attention to the portrait. The colours used were beautiful; gold and red blended perfectly to create the sunrise. The little girl danced among the tall grass as butterflies gently fluttered around her… _Butterflies_ _were_ _always_ _in_ _abundance_ … _500_ _years_ _ago_ …

Kagome stood there transfixed as time shifted in her mind and, with crystal clarity, the missing piece of their research puzzle fell into place. _Butterfly_ _youkai_ _no_ _longer_ _existed_ _in_ _this_ _time_, _but_ _500_ _years_ _ago_, _they_ _were_ _in_ _abundance_.

She whipped around and caught Kazuki by surprise. Her eyes sparkled with exhilaration as she exclaimed, "I've got it! The missing link, Kaz! Butterfly youkai! I can go through the well and bring back what we need!"

Kazuki's eyes widened at the sudden implication as he looked at the portrait, then down at Kagome again, her infectious excitement infusing into his own chest as he caught on to her idea.

"Do you think it will work?"

"It will! I know it will. That's our missing youkai. I can go back…"

-x-x-x-x-

After a few minutes of frenzied discussion, the two scientists composed themselves enough to enter the reception hall. They found themselves standing at the threshold.

"Inus and wolves, oh my," Kazuki remarked nonchalantly as he casually scanned the room. "No wonder you were so well versed in the art of youkai being around this den of canines."

Kagome wasn't listening to her friend as her gaze honed in and locked with mesmerizing sapphire eyes. The eyes lit up with recognition and, quicker than Kagome could react, she was enveloped in an exuberant bear hug.

"Kagome!"

Trying to catch her breath, she gasped, "Koga!"

The wolf let her go to pick up her hands and engulf them in his own. "Kagome, it's so good to see you again! Sesshomaru told us you would be here." He looked fleetingly around to make sure no one was listening and leaned in to whisper, "I wasn't sure I believed him when he told us how you crossed over to the past, but now," he straightened up and grinned, "seeing you here, I believe it!"

A laugh escaped Kagome's lips as she looked up at her friend. It was so good to see a familiar face again. "Koga, you look great! I never expected to see you again."

He beamed down at her. "Well, if you're hanging around the mutt mansion, you'll see lots of me. My son is courting Sesshomaru's daughter." He looked around and pointed to a handsome wolf youkai across the room. "There he is with Chouko. I'm sure you'll meet him later."

"So, if they get married then the inus and wolves will finally be one big, happy family."

"Well… I'll take the big, but happy?" Koga grinned down at the girl. "Sesshomaru's not too pleased with his daughter's decision but, lucky for us, it's not for him to decide."

"Ah-hem…"

The two turned at the throat clearing.

"Oh, Kami, Kaz! I forgot you were standing there. I'm so sorry!" Kagome laughed.

Pulling her hands out of Koga's she grabbed Kazuki by the arm and pulled him up beside her. "Koga, this is my friend, Kazuki Matsumoto. Kaz, this is Koga… Koga… Koga, do you have a last name? Or is it Takahashi too?"

"Hell, no! Why would I take the mutt's name? It's Koga Nakamura."

Kazuki extended his hand to the wolf. "Nice to meet you, Koga."

Koga shook the offered hand and eyed Kazuki quizzically. Turning to Kagome, he gave her a toothy grin. "What's it with you and hanyou?"

She was spared from answering as a female wolf appeared by Koga's side, putting her arm possessively through his. "Hello, Kagome. How nice to see you again."

"Ayame! How nice to see you too." Kagome looked at the two wolves and smiled. "So, I take it you two are married?"

Koga wrapped his arm around his wife. "Yes, I finally let the she-wolf catch me."

Nudging her husband, Ayame smiled at Kagome, a little of the trepidation she initially felt seeping out of her. When she was informed about the miko, the wolf youkai was a little leery on having Kagome in their lives again. After all, this was the woman her husband declared his undying love for — albeit that was 500 years ago — but still, feelings of jealousy were hard to ignore. "I caught him and beat him into submission until his memory came back about his lunar rainbow promise."

"Hey…" Koga tried to protest.

Kagome laughed delightedly and quickly introduced Kazuki to Ayame.

"I hear you two are the new scientists over at the Takahashi Group."

"Yes, but it's only temporary until we finish the project that we're working on."

"Hmmm." Ayame looked thoughtful. "My cousin works there. Perhaps you know her? Amara?"

"What? That little bitc— ?" Kazuki cut his words off, chagrin at almost insulting Ayame's family.

Shooting Kazuki a dark look, Kagome tried to cover for her friend. "Yes, we know Amara. We're not exactly friends."

Koga gave a bark of laughter. "I'd be surprised if you were! She's such a _bitch_!"

Koga guffawed so loudly that Ayame elbowed her husband in the sides. "Koga, stop that. She's not that bad, really." Looking at Kagome and Kazuki, she grinned and shrugged. "Amara is a bit different. She takes some getting used to, but —" She looked over at her husband, still snorting with laughter. She finally gave in and laughed too. "All right, I'll admit it. Koga's right, she can be a bitch."

Nodding enthusiastically, Koga said, "Just stay out of her way. She's a nasty piece of work sometimes. She's been trying to get her claws into Yash for years." He chuckled, not noticing Kagome shifting uncomfortably at the news.

Kazuki shot her a look. _See_, _Kags_, _what_ _did_ _I_ _tell_ _you_?

Finally noticing Kagome's glower, Koga patted her arm reassuringly. "Yash is an idiot, but even he won't touch Amara with a ten foot pole."

Kazuki grinned. _I_'_m_ _going_ _to_ _like_ _this_ _wolf_.

Eyeing Kazuki's grin, Koga asked, "Are you a friend of Yash's?"

With a quick shake of his head, Kazuki replied, "Nope. Not a chance."

Koga's smile widened revealing two sharp fangs among even white teeth. "Then, you and I, we're going to be good friends."

Kazuki's laughter joined Koga's as they found common ground in disliking Yash.

Ayame simply rolled her eyes at their antics while Kagome glared at the two, finally punching Kazuki lightly in the shoulder to get him to stop.

Ayame stepped in. "Okay, enough. So… Kagome, are you and Kazuki —"

"No!" Kagome flushed, a bit embarrassed at her hasty denial. She knew exactly what Ayame was going to ask. _Was_ _she_ _and_ _Kazuki_ _a_ _couple_? _Absolutely_ _not_. Now that she knew what people were thinking, she wanted to nip that particular rumor in the bud.

Kazuki gave her a grin as if reading her mind, making her flush even more.

Ayame brightened and took in Kazuki's air of confidence and charismatic personality. "Well, in that case, come with me, Kazuki. There's someone I'd like to talk to you about. She's my cousin's daughter...."

Koga watched as his wife linked her arms through Kazuki's and dragged him away. He waited until they were out of earshot before he turned to Kagome and casually said, "I wondered why mutt face's been so agitated lately." He looked appraisingly at the woman in front of him. "Now, I know why."

"What do you mean, Koga?"

"Shit, 500 years and he still hasn't caught you yet. I always knew he was an idiot."

"Koga…" Kagome gently admonished.

He shrugged and gave her a cheeky grin. "Sorry, Kagome. I can't help it."

The wolf leaned in close, put an affectionate arm around her bare shoulders and whispered into her ear, "I love Ayame and my children with all my heart, but if you and mutt face ever get together again, just remember, you were my woman first." A toothy grin spread across his face.

"Oh, Koga, I've missed you!" Kagome laughed and hugged the wolf. He returned her hug and gently patted her back.

Two hanyou watched the exchange; both with similar reactions.

_How_ _close_ _was_ _Kags to_ _that_ _wolf_?frowned one hanyou while the other, who discreetly entered the room, scowled, _Fucking_ _damn_, _stinking_ _wolf_ – _still_ _can_'_t_ _keep_ _his_ _hands_ _off_ _of_ _her_.

A blur of movement rushed past Yash in the doorway as a young man suddenly appeared. "Where's Kag —"

His words were choked off as a flurry of arms launched themselves at him. "Shippo!"

The kitsune wrapped his arms around the young woman. "Kagome!"

"Hey, Kagome! How come I didn't get a welcome like that?" Koga called out.

Yash stood silently witnessing the scene. _Yeah_, _you_ _and_ _me_ _both_, _wolf_ _shit_.

-x-x-x-x-

Kagome was looking around the room trying to locate InuYasha. She was sure that she had seen him from the corner of her eye, not more than five minutes ago, when she was talking to General Matsumoto. Now, craning her neck to search him out, he had seemingly disappeared on her. Trying not to appear too frustrated, she walked over to the doorway and was accosted by an overzealous kitsune.

Shippo had wanted to re-connect with the woman he thought of as a mother, but every time he tried to get her alone she would be pulled into another conversation. Now, he dragged her into a corner to get some privacy. "Hell, Kagome, you're a popular person. I've been trying to get you alone for the past half an hour! You haven't changed a bit. You look great!"

Kagome laughed. "Well, I haven't changed much. It's only been five years since I've been back through the well."

The kitsune lowered his brows. "Five years? But, the last time…" He stopped suddenly, a frown marring his young face.

"What is it, Shippo?" Kagome looked concerned.

The Kitsune brightened. "Nothing, nothing at all. Kami, it's good to see you, Kagome!" He wrapped his arms around the young woman and squeezed.

Kagome returned the hug. She couldn't believe that this was the little kitsune that used to share her sleeping bag. "It's so good to see you too, Shippo!"

Holding him at arms length, Kagome looked him over. Shippo was all grown up. He was like a lanky, overgrown teenager. His bright red hair, spiky at the top, was tied back in a loose ponytail that flowed down his back. His green, stripped shirt was tucked neatly into a pair of dark grey trousers, and a matching jacket hung snuggly around his slim shoulders.

"I hear you're a Kitsune Master now. I'm so proud of you, Shippo," Kagome gushed.

Shippo's face lit up with the praise and his emerald eyes flashed with merriment.

_He_ _seems_ _so_ _carefree_, _so_ _well_-_adjusted_. _He_'_s_ _a_ _happy-go-lucky_ _kitsune_ _without_ _a_ _care_ _in_ _the_ _world_. _Oh_, _InuYasha_, _you_ _did_ _a_ _fine_ _job_ _of_ _raising_ _him_. _I_'_m_ _so_ _proud_ _of_ _the_ _both_ _of_ _you_.

Looking at her dress, Shippo whistled. "You sure are beautiful, Kagome."

Kagome blushed, embarrassed at the way the kitsune was eyeing her over. "Thank you, Shippo, but I don't think I look any different from the last time I saw you."

"He's right," remarked a voice from behind her, "you are beautiful."

Kagome's heartbeat quickened and the breath caught in her throat as she turned around. "Hello, InuYasha."

The hanyou was simply gorgeous in a black Ralph Lauren suit that accentuated his chiseled body. His cranberry shirt contrasted against the strand of rosary beads around his neck. His hair flowed uninhibited down his back and Kagome had to resist the urge to reach up and brush a stray tendril off of his cheekbone.

Yash stared at her. He couldn't believe how utterly beautiful she was. Her form fitting dress left nothing to the imagination, and he had to suppress the shudder of need that threatened to overtake him.

Shippo regarded the couple hopefully and had to squash down the laughter tickling his throat. Uncensored longing and desire were written all over their faces, but both of them were holding back, too afraid to admit their true feelings to one another. _Some_ _things_ _never_ _change_. The kitsune smiled impishly to himself. _This_ _might_ _be_ _easier_ _than_ _I_ _thought_.

-x-x-x-x-

Dinner was served in the formal dining room around a long rectangular table. Everyone waited until Sesshomaru took his seat at the head of the table before sitting down. Kagome found herself in between InuYasha and Koga with Kazuki directly across from her.

As soon as she sat down, Kagome turned to InuYasha and said under her breath, "We need to talk."

Flicking his eyes at her, he asked, "About what?"

_Boy_, _he_ _wasn_'_t_ _making_ _this_ _easy_ _for_ _her_, _was_ _he_? "We just do."

InuYasha barely nodded when the appetizers were served.

Kagome looked at the plate of sashimi placed before her and had to bow her head to hide her grin. Peeking up through her bangs, she noticed Kazuki trying to stifle his revulsion at the thinly sliced pieces of raw seafood.

Kazuki stared at his plate. It wasn't exactly sushi, but it was close enough. _Raw_ seafood. He was _definitely_ getting worms tonight. _Shit_. Looking up, Kazuki caught Kagome trying desperately not to laugh. Scowling at her amusement, he watched as she carefully dipped a piece of the seafood in soya sauce.

Looking pointedly at her friend to do the same, Kagome mouthed, _It_'_ll_ _taste_ _better_ _with_ _soya_ _sauce_.

Hiding his grimace, Kazuki picked up his chopsticks and mimicked Kagome's actions. He was prepared to be the perfect guest and eat his dinner. _Damn_, _I_'_m_ _going_ _to_ _need_ _a_ _pizza_ _after_ _tonight_.

InuYasha glanced at the woman beside him. _Why_ _the_ _hell_ _was_ _she_ _giggling_ _over_ _raw seafood_? He then noticed the by-play between her and Kazuki. Repressing the urge to growl, he proceeded to attack his dinner with vigor.

The rest of the meal passed by uneventfully, and Kagome was surprised at how delicious everything was. Even Kazuki ate with renewed enthusiasm once he discovered that the appetizer was the only raw item on the menu, everything else in the eight course meal being cooked to perfection. _Well_, _it_ _really_ _shouldn_'_t_ _be_ _surprising_, Kagome thought. This was Sesshomaru's dinner party, after all. Nothing less than perfection for this particular inu-youkai.

When dessert was finally served, Kagome turned to Koga and asked, "Koga, when your pack lived in the Eastern Mountains, do you remember butterfly youkai in that area?" Kagome didn't notice the sudden interest in her question from the two hanyou, as well as the kitsune. Sesshomaru was currently speaking to the general, but, he too, discreetly cocked his head to catch Koga's reply.

The wolf, oblivious to the attention they were now getting, furrowed his brow in thought. "I'm not sure, Kagome. I don't _think_ there were any near our caves."

"There was a colony of them west of the Northern Mountains," interjected Ayame who was also listening in. She leaned over from Koga's other side and addressed Kagome. "I had to stop there once on my way down from the North. They were very passive youkai and quite friendly." She thought for a moment. "You know, come to think of it, their caves were fairly close to that slayer village. I remember because I passed by there directly after leaving the colony."

Kagome smiled brightly. _She_ _must_ _be_ _talking_ _about_ _Sango_'_s_ _village_. _Perfect_. Kagome grinned over at Kazuki and happened to catch the look that Shippo shot Yash. Feeling InuYasha stiffen beside her, she turned to the hanyou just as he looked away. Before he had adverted his head, she had caught the guilty expression on his face.

_Now_, _why_ _would_ _he_ _look_ _so_ _guilty_? _Something_ _is_ _wrong_. _He_ _won_'_t_ _even_ _look_ _at_ _me_ _and_ _he_'_s_ _acting_ _really_ _strange_. Kagome widened her eyes as it finally occurred to her… _Wait_ — _If_ _I_ _go_ _back_ _through_ _the_ _well_, _I_'_d_ _see_ _him_ _in_ _the_ _Feudal_ _era_, _and_ _he_'_d_ _have_ _memories_ _of_ _it_… _He_ _knew_ _about_ _the_ _butterfly_ _youkai_…

Yash caught Kagome's sharp intake of breath. _She_'_s_ _figured_ _it_ _out_. Everything was falling into place… and his heart was falling apart. Soon she would travel back to the Feudal era and when she returned, she was going to get married.

"InuYasha, we need to talk," Kagome hissed at him.

He nodded slightly. _There_ _was_ _no_ _sense_ _avoiding_ _this_ _forever_. _Better_ _get_ _it_ _over_ _with_.

InuYasha waited until dinner was over. Then with a heavy heart, he led Kagome through a pair of doors and out onto a back terrace.

Kagome followed silently, secretly hoping that it was all a mistake. _Kami_, _please_ _let_ _him_ _have_ _a_ _good_ _explanation_ _for_ _this_.

-x-x-x-x-

Kazuki stared out the window at the two standing in the moonlight. A slight movement to his right halted his solitary watch and he looked over at the youkai who stood beside him.

"They belong together," the youkai finally said, a slight defensive tone to his voice as if daring Kazuki to say otherwise.

Kazuki looked thoughtfully at his window companion before slowly nodding. "They do. Only they're both too stubborn to do anything about it. And you have to admit, Yash is being really asinine about the whole thing."

The youkai nodded his agreement. "It's a shame we can't hear what they're saying."

Kazuki chuckled. "It's bad enough we're spying on them. We don't need to listen to every word they say."

"No, as long as the baka doesn't screw this up."

"I won't argue with you there."

"He's running out of time," the youkai said quietly.

Kazuki glanced sideways. "You know, this family has a real bad habit with enigmatic comments."

The youkai snorted and shot Kazuki a guarded look. "Yash is jealous of your relationship with Kagome."

"I know."

Raising a brow at that answer, the youkai stated, "You love Kagome."

"Yeah, I do, but she's got her heart set on another hanyou."

Looking sharply at Kazuki, the youkai demanded, "Then why are you doing this? You know she loves Yash. Why didn't you say anything?"

Kazuki shrugged. "It's not my problem that Yash is too stupid to see what's right in front him. He's not my friend. Kagome is." He slanted a look at the youkai and countered with a question of his own. "Do you think she's worth fighting for?"

"Of course."

Kazuki nodded towards the couple outside. "If he truly deserves her then he'll think she's worth fighting for, too."

The youkai looked at Kazuki shrewdly as if sizing him up before a grin formed on his face.

The two turned in comfortable silence and continued to witness the scene unfolding before them.

-x-x-x-x-

"Please let me explain —"

"Then explain."

InuYasha winced at the impatient tone he heard in Kagome's voice. Now that he had her complete attention, he didn't know how to begin. "Ah…"

"I'm waiting."

"Okay, so I did know about the butterfly youkai!" Yash blurted out.

At Kagome's insistent silence, Yash swallowed the lump in his throat and continued, "I'm sorry, Kagome! I really am! I meant to tell you!"

Kagome's voice cut through the air. "Then why didn't you?"

It was the moment of truth. It was now or never. InuYasha gulped, "I-I didn't want you to go through the well." Well, it was partially the truth, wasn't it?

"And why not?"

"Because, because —"

"Spit it out."

"Because of Kazuki…" he finally burst out.

"What?!"

"Ah…"

"That's it? You didn't tell me because of Kaz? You jeopardized our project because of how you feel about him?"

"No, yes — I mean no!"

"What is it then, InuYasha?" Kagome's voice was turning into ice.

_Because_ _you_'_ll_ _go_ _through_ _the_ _well_, _and_ _you_'_ll_ _leave_ _me_ _again_.

_Because_ _this_ _time_, _I_'_ll_ _lose_ _you_ _for_ _good_.

_Because_ _I_ _don_'_t_ _think_ _I_ _can_ _handle_ _it_.

_Because_ _I_'_m_ _afraid_.

InuYasha didn't know how to voice these thoughts out loud and said the only thing he could, "I'm just so sorry, Kagome."

"Sorry doesn't cut it, InuYasha. You knew all this time and you didn't say a word? All because you don't like Kaz? How could you?"

"It's not like that, dammit! Besides, it's not like you minded all those late nights with that bastard!" InuYasha was getting angry, and his eyes flashed as he flung the accusation at her.

Kagome opened her mouth in amazement. "You're jealous!" she said incredulously. "That's what this is all about. You think Kaz and I... that we… and you didn't tell me about the butterfly youkai because you were jealous? I can't believe you, InuYasha! You jeopardized my project for that!" Kagome shouted, as tears started to stream down her face.

"Stop fucking crying, wench!"

"Oh, so now I can't even cry even if you're being the baka? Do you know how much this project means to me?" she railed at him. "Do you know why I work so hard? Why I took the job in the first place? It was for you! It's always been for you! You had no right to do this to me. You baka! I can't believe you. Because of your jealously and your misconceptions, you want vengeance for something you wrongly believe. You think I betrayed you, and you're punishing me for it!"

InuYasha blanched at her accusations. "No, Kagome, it's not like th —"

"I don't want to hear your excuses, InuYasha! How could you do this to me? How?"

"Kagome, let me explain —"

"No! You've had your chance. You've watched me struggle for the past two weeks. Were you laughing at me behind my back? Did you get your revenge? Are you happy now?"

"Kagome, please —"

"No!"

"Dammit, Kagome! You've never been unreasonable before!"

"And you've never been a liar!"

The two stared at each other, panting, trying to catch their breaths. Kagome looked at him with eyes full of anguish. "I thought… I thought…" _I_ _thought_ _we_ _still_ _had_ _a_ _chance_. Agony wrapped its twisted hands through her heart until it clamped down on her chest, crushing her. With a strangled sob, Kagome whipped around and flew down the staircase. Her footsteps echoed in the silence.

_She_ _was_ _running_ _away_ _from_ _him_ _again_. _Fuck_!

InuYasha crouched, ready to spring after her, when a voice suddenly sounded behind him.

"What the hell did you do now, you bastard?"

Yash jerked around and came face to face with Kazuki. Eyes blazing and fangs bared, he growled a low warning, "Fuck off."

Kazuki shook his head. "You're a real piece of work you know that? Kagome's laid her heart on the line, and you're such a bastard that you can't even see what's in front of you. The way that you keep hurting her, you don't deserve her. I keep telling her that, but Kagome keeps defending you! You asshole — you can't even see that she's still in love with you!"

InuYasha saw red and started advancing onto Kazuki. _I_'_m_ _going_ _to_ _kill_ _the_ _fucking_ _bastard_!

Kazuki bared his fangs. "If you think I have time for this shit, you're mistaken. Kagome just ran off into the night alone and all you can think about is your pathetic excuses." With a look of disgust, he took off into the night after Kagome.

InuYasha was ready to leap after the retreating figure._ That_ _fucker_! _I_'_m_ _going_ _to_ _fucking_ _kill_ _him_. _First_ _for_ _taking_ _Kagome_ _away_ _from_ _me_, _then_ _for_ _talking_ _to_ _me_ _like_ _that_… _Wait_! _Did_ _he_ _just_ _say_ _that_ _Kagome_ _is_ _still_ _in_ _love _… _with_ _me_? _Wha_ —?!

Yash halted, dumbstruck, all the rage deflating out of him like a punctured balloon. On the heels of Kazuki's words came Kagome's shouting through his mind… _It_ _was_ _for_ _you_. _It_'_s_ _always_ _been_ _for_ _you_ …

InuYasha tried to calm his racing heart as realization struck him like a lightning bolt. _Kagome_ _still_ _loves_ _me_? _Me_?! _What_ _the_ _hell_ — _Shit_! _What_ _the_ _fuck_ _have_ _I_ _done_?!

"InuYasha, you baka." The voice was low and harsh.

Not bothering to turn around, Yash ignored the figure that stood behind him.

"You love her, don't you?" hissed the voice, persistent.

Yash continued to ignore the youkai as he stood there, silently trying to make sense of his jumbled thoughts.

Suddenly a clawed hand whipped him around and he was roughly pushed up against the side of the castle. "Then fucking fight for her, you idiot!"

Normally, he would tear anyone apart that would dare threaten him, verbally or physically. Only two individuals in the world could get away with it. One was Kagome, the other stood in front of him, fury radiating off his small frame. Only the love and trust that had built up over the centuries saved the little kitsune's life.

Yash pushed the kit away, growling low, "Shippo, stay the _fuck_ out of it!"

"I _fucking_ won't!" Shippo was furious. He had spent years waiting for this moment, and damn if he'd just sit by and watch as Kagome left _them_ again.

Yash began to growl a low warning and was abruptly cut off as the kitsune brought his hands up to grip the hanyou's collar, wrapping the fabric around his small fists. "I'm not going to fucking stand here and watch you let her get away _again_!"

Yash started to push the kitsune away but was stopped by the stench of tears. Shippo's tears.

Shaking his adoptive father slightly, the kitsune let go. His shoulders were slumped as he stood back, not trying to hide the tears that fell from his eyes. "InuYasha… I love you like a father. I love Kagome like a mother." Looking up, the kit continued brokenly, "I've seen you two fall in love. I've witnessed the devotion you two share. I've been with both of you from the very beginning, and I want to be there for the end. You love her. She loves you. You belong together … You are the father I never had. I've seen you fight demons with your bare hands. I've seen you fight Naraku and Sesshomaru, I've seen you_ fight_ so many things. So, please…" the kit swallowed and begged, "please _fight_ _for_ _her_."

Yash stared at the kitsune, then reached out and swatted his head. "Stay out of it, runt." There was no anger in his voice this time, just patience and love.

Shippo looked up, surprise written all over his face. "Wha —"

Giving him a lopsided smile, Yash said, "I've already decided to go after her, you baka. But that was a nice display of emotions, Shippo. Too bad you weren't an actor, you would have won an award."

Shippo was incensed. "InuYasha! Y-you, you baka! You made me worry for nothing! You had it figured out all along!"

"No, Shippo. I finally came to my senses. I was too blind to see what was in front of me all along. I believed something for so long that it was hard to see the truth. I've been a fool, Shippo, a big one. It finally makes sense. After all these years, it makes sense."

Shippo nodded his agreement. "InuYasha no baka." The insult was levied at the hanyou, but without malice or heat.

Yash laughed and pulled a surprised kitsune into his arms, engulfing him in a hug. "Thanks, runt."

Shippo returned the hug as relief filled his heart. He pushed away from his adopted father. "Kazuki went after her. Are you just going to stand here and let him have her without a fight?"

Yash growled low, "Hell, no. Kagome's mine."

A feral gleam came into Yash's eyes. His face was half hidden in the shadows and an ominous aura pulsated around him. He gave the kitsune his trademark smirk and, without another word, he took off into the night to reclaim what was rightfully his.


	13. Reunited

Disclaimer: InuYasha is owned by Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan Inc. and Viz Media. Story and all original characters created are owned by me. There is adult content in this chapter with implied sexual situations. It's nothing explicit or graphic, but I thought I should warn you anyways.

**Chapter 12: Reunited**

-x-x-x-x-

_Yash_ _growled_ _low_, "_Hell,_ _no_. _Kagome_'_s_ _mine_."

_A_ _feral_ _gleam_ _came_ _into_ _Yash_'_s_ _eyes_. _His_ _face_ _was_ _half_ _hidden_ _in_ _the_ _shadows_ _and_ _an_ _ominous_ _aura_ _pulsated_ _around_ _him_. _He_ _gave_ _the_ _kitsune_ _his_ _trademark_ _smirk_ _and_, _without_ _another_ _word_, _he_ _took_ _off_ _into_ _the_ _night_ _to_ _reclaim_ _what_ _was_ _rightfully_ _his_.

-x-x-x-x-

Kagome ran.

She didn't know where she was going. She didn't care. All coherent thoughts flew out of her mind as she stumbled along, her body tormented by tears. _InuYasha_, _how_ _could_ _you_ _do_ _this_ _to_ _me_? _How_ _could_ _you_ _lie_ _to_ _me_? _Were_ _you_ _really_ _so_ _angry_ _with_ _me_? _I_ _thought_ _we_ _still_ _had_ _a_ _chance_. _I_ _thought_ _you_ _still_ _might_ _love_ _me_.

She ran blindly until the smell of pine needles filled her senses. Stopping to gulp air into her lungs, she realized that she had entered a bonsai garden. She stood there for a few moments — her stomach tied in knots and her chest heavy with misery — until her knees buckled beneath her and she collapsed to the ground. She was crushed.

When she came back to Japan and saw InuYasha again, it was like a balm to her soul. It filled her with happiness and made her realize that for five long years she had only been going through the motions of daily life. She was alive, but she didn't _live_. As she shifted through her troubled thoughts, doubts began to creep into her mind. Was the past three weeks all a lie? She felt confused and betrayed, and she trembled as the enormity of the loss sunk her heart. Kagome hunched over, wrapped her arms around her stomach and rocked slightly on her knees.

This is how Kazuki found her. Approaching her wearily, he dropped to the ground in front of her. "Kagome…" For once Kazuki was at a loss for words. He didn't know what to say to his friend to make things right. He didn't even know if he had any words to do so. All he wanted to do was pull her into his arms, but, deep down, he knew that was not what she wanted or needed — _at_ _least_ _not_ _from_ _him_. So he did the only thing he could, he kneeled in silence and supported her unconditionally.

In between her sobs, Kagome choked out, "He lied to me, Kaz. He doesn't love me anymore."

InuYasha stood at the edge of the pathway watching the woman he loved weep. He silently berated himself. Why was he so blind? He was so consumed with jealousy that he couldn't see what his heart had been trying to tell him all along. Kagome and Kazuki were close and had a friendship that he envied, but why didn't he ever notice that something was missing? There was never any sexual tension between the two of them — no spark that ignited when they touched. Because he had refused to see this, he had ended up hurting the only woman who ever meant anything to him.

Sensing his presence, Kazuki looked up and locked eyes with him.

Kagome was oblivious to the two hanyou. Her soft cries mixed in with the sound of the waterfall cascading down the moss covered boulders in the small pond.

InuYasha stood undecided. Kagome's continued weeping pulled at his heartstrings, and he didn't want to do anything that would upset her further.

Over the last month, a grudging respect had developed between the two hanyou, although neither one of them would ever admit it.

Kazuki stared at Yash. He could understand why Kagome loved the hanyou. He had for a while now, although he still gave Kagome a hard time about it, and God forbid he'd ever admit it to anyone. Yash handled situations the same way he lived his life — with honour and integrity, and while he was a bad-tempered ass most of the time, he did earn everyone's respect and admiration, including Kazuki's.

Kagome was right; the bastard did having a caring heart. He had an innate sense of right and wrong, and a deep rooted sense of ethical morality that was so rare. He sought out justice for those that could not defend themselves. Kazuki saw it time and time again when he witnessed Yash come to the aid of his staff. That was why Kazuki was so damn mad at him when he didn't come to Kagome's aid when she was literally falling apart. He couldn't understand why Yash, who would help just about anyone, would not help the woman he presumably loved. Kazuki supposed that Yash had his reasons, and it wasn't for him to judge. No, Yash would have to answer to the weeping girl in front of him. And God help him if he didn't do it right.

Honour and integrity. Those were two things that Yash respected, and he saw it in abundance in the other hanyou. He liked Kazuki. Hell, under different circumstances, they could have even been _friends_. He could admit that much to himself. That was why he was so damn jealous in the first place. He knew Kazuki was honourable and respectable, that he was worthy to love and protect a woman like Kagome.

An internal struggle was battling inside of Yash. No matter how much he admired Kazuki, it didn't mean that he wouldn't fight him for Kagome's love. Now that his head was clear and he saw things for what they were, Yash would fight tooth and nail to get Kagome back.

He flexed his claws.

What seemed like an eternity, Kazuki finally stood up slowly. Not making a sound, he stealthily approached Yash, stopping directly in front of him. Under his breath, he said quietly, "Be good to her." The "_or else_" was unmistakable in his tone.

Yash was relieved that he didn't have to fight Kazuki. After all, he didn't want to hurt the poor bastard. He gave a slight nod, but couldn't manage to hide the smirk widening on his face. _Kazuki_ _was_ _still_ _a_ _self_ _righteous_ _prick_.

Kazuki turned to leave. Glancing back one last time, he watched as Yash slowly approached Kagome and kneeled in front of her. He couldn't miss the love and yearning he saw on Yash's face as the hanyou tenderly placed his hand on her head. Kazuki sighed heavily to himself. If he truly loved Kagome — and he did — then he would have to let her go.

Sometimes it's not holding on that makes one strong, it's letting go. Kazuki Matsumoto turned and walked away. He was one of the strong ones.

-x-x-x-x-

Kagome whimpered when she felt her hair being gently caressed. "I just need to be alone now, Kaz, please," she whispered hollowly.

"Kagome…"

Kagome looked up with a start and stared at InuYasha with wide, tear-filled eyes. "InuYasha…," she breathed.

They stared at each other, their hearts in their eyes. InuYasha reached out and lightly brushed her cheek with his fingers.

At his touch, Kagome closed her eyes and shivered. A slow burning warmth coursed through her body.

"Kagome, look at me," InuYasha whispered. When she opened her eyes, he apologized, "I'm sorry, Kagome. I never meant to hurt you. You have to believe me. I wouldn't do anything to intentionally cause you pain. I love you, Kagome. I've never stopped loving you."

"InuYasha," Her breath caught in her throat as hope blossomed in her heart. "I love you, too."

Kagome was suddenly pulled into his arms and crushed against his chest. Burying his face into her hair, InuYasha inhaled her sweet fragrance. Oh Kami, she smelled so good, she _felt_ so good.

She melted into his embrace. Hugging her hanyou with all of her might, she reveled in the feel of his strong arms around her.

"InuYasha, we need to talk about us and about everything that's happened," she muffled into his shoulder.

InuYasha pulled back slightly to face her. His expression was determined as he leaned in, his lips a hair's breadth away from hers. "No, Kagome. We need to _touch_," he murmured before bringing his mouth down on hers.

-x-x-x-x-

After a few heated moments they pulled apart, breaking the surface of the euphoria they were caught up in.

After almost a month of being under a fog the clouds broke away, dissolving the haze that had blinded them for so long. This time when they looked at one another, they could finally see the desire, the longing, the need, and the _love_.

Kagome curled a strand of his hair around her finger. "It's still as soft as I remembered." Looking up shyly she said, "I wanted so badly to touch you, to do this, ever since I saw you at the meeting."

"And I wanted to do this," Yash said as he cradled her against his chest and lowered his head. He slowly traced her lips with the tip of his tongue, electing a husky moan from her. She parted her lips to allow him to deepen the kiss. He kissed her softly at first, then with urgency as he took what she offered.

As much as he wanted to make love to Kagome right there and then, Yash didn't think it was appropriate to do so under the trees, and especially _not_ in Sesshomaru's garden. He broke off their kiss and took a deep breath.

Kagome slowly opened her eyes, the smoky lust turning into a questioning gaze.

"Kagome." InuYasha stared at her lips which were swollen and pink from his ministrations. Mentally shaking himself, he said, "We can't do this." At her hurt look, he hurriedly assured her, "At least not yet."

InuYasha glanced towards the direction of the house and, with reluctance, stood up. Holding out a hand, he said. "Come on, let's go."

Without hesitation, Kagome wrapped her fingers in his and followed as he led her past the pond and to the edge of the trees. "Where are we going?"

"My house. I don't live far from here." He stopped and crouched down in front of her. When there was no movement behind him, he looked around questioningly. "Well, are you going to get on or what?"

Kagome grinned at him, kicked off her black heels and slid onto his back. Her skirt rode up her thighs and barely covered her bottom as her knees hugged his sides. She giggled as InuYasha swallowed audibly before he slowly gripped her bare legs with his trembling hands. Hugging him around his neck, she whispered teasingly, "The faster we get there, the faster we can talk, and the faster we can… make up."

InuYasha didn't have to be told twice and took off like a shot – Kagome's laughter ringing through the trees.

Kagome held onto him with her legs wrapped around his waist, her arms wrapped around his neck, and her heart wrapped around his soul.

-x-x-x-x-

"Dammit, InuYasha, will you stop stalking me?" Kagome laughed as she gripped her sides.

"I will if you would just stop moving."

Fifteen minutes after leaving Sesshomaru's place, they had arrived in a small forest clearing. The whitewashed stone exterior of a contemporary zen house materialized in the moonlight.

Kagome had slipped off of InuYasha's back and stood in awe at the simplistic, but intriguingly beautiful house. Before she could remark on it, InuYasha had taken her hand and pulled her through the mahogany doors. As soon as they had entered he had reached for her, but she quickly side-stepped his advances. Now, five minutes later, she found herself being relentlessly pursued by a very virile hanyou.

"I thought we were going to talk?"

"I changed my mind."

Kagome shot him an apprehensive look before she darted behind the white leather sofa. "We _have_ to talk."

"So talk." InuYasha prowled around the sofa with a predatory gleam in his eyes. He watched as Kagome went the opposite direction, keeping the sofa as a wall between them. He could have easily jumped over the furniture and caught Kagome in a heartbeat, but where was the fun in that?

She was so skittish as she stood there panting slightly, trying to anticipate his next move. A slight sheen of sweat glistened on her collarbone before dipping in between her heaving breasts. Her hair was curled loosely around her shoulders, framing her flushed cheeks. InuYasha stared at her slightly parted lips. They were such damn, kissable lips, just waiting for someone to kiss them senseless — waiting for _him_ to kiss them senseless. She was damn sexy, and she was _his_.

He inched closer, his youkai straining to be let loose. He was a predator stalking his prey. His voice was low and guttural as he asked, "Do you know how long I've waited for this?"

Kagome laughed nervously. "500 years?"

A deep, throaty chuckle was her only response.

Kagome gulped and her resolve weakened with every passing second. All she wanted to do was to touch him, to love him — but she had to get him to see reason before she, too, fell into the bliss of a physical reunion. She gnawed her lower lip as she edged past the table, taking note of the way the furry, white ears were flickering in irritation on the top of his head. _Kami_, _he_'_s_ _losing_ _patience_. _It_ _was_ _now_ _or_ _never_.

"InuYasha," Kagome began hesitantly. "If you still loved me all this time, why didn't you tell me?"

The hanyou stopped his predatory stance. _Shit_, _she_ _did_ _want_ _to_ _talk_ _first_. _Fuck_. _Oh_ _shit_, _better_ _not_ _think_ _along_ _those lines_.

Straightening up, he looked directly into her eyes and told the truth. "I thought that you loved Kazuki and that you were going to marry him. I didn't want to stand in your way of happiness."

Kagome stared at him, aghast. He _did_ believe the rumors.

InuYasha squirmed under Kagome's scrutinizing stare as she remained silent. All his oversexed thoughts went out the window as his eyes locked on hers. His heart thudded painfully in his chest as he licked his dry lips waiting, desperately waiting, for her to correct his assumptions. He couldn't move, frozen in place waiting for her response.

"Well, I do love Kaz…" Kagome began slowly.

InuYasha felt his whole world drop out from underneath him as the breath constricted in his body.

"… but only as a friend. He's like a brother to me."

InuYasha expelled his breath as his heart started pumping again with this latest admission. _She_'_s_ _going_ _to_ _pay_ _for_ _that_ _one_, he thought perversely.

Staring intently at the hanyou, Kagome said, "And no, Kaz and I are _not_ getting married. That was just an awful rumor started by a horrible person. I can't believe you thought that she was telling the truth." She bristled at the fact.

"Ah…" _Shit_. He didn't like the look on her face. He _knew_ that look.

Kagome continued on, her calm voice belying the temper that was ready to explode beneath the surface. "Why would you think that Kazuki and I were more than friends?"

InuYasha sighed. _It_ _was_ _time_ _for_ _the_ _truth_ — a_t_ _least_ _part_ _of_ _it_.

"I came through the well and saw you sitting with him up in the Goshinboku tree. You two looked pretty cozy to me." InuYasha finished somewhat heatedly. He didn't like remembering what he saw.

"Up in the Goshin —" Confusion and anger dissipated as realization dawned on Kagome. "InuYasha," Kagome broached carefully, "I _was_ up in the tree with Kaz, but we were just talking. I was upset, and Kaz was just offering me his comfort and friendship. Do you know what we were talking about?"

InuYasha looked away, but not before she caught the strickened look in his eyes. He folded his arms and wouldn't look at her.

"We were talking about you."

He whipped his head back incredulously. "Me?"

Kagome nodded. "Yes, you. I was telling him about how much I missed you. I was planning to go through the well to see you again. I was bouncing ideas off Kaz, and he was helping me come to grips with my decision."

"Then why is he always touching you and," he narrowed his eyes at her, "you let him." InuYasha knew by now that Kagome only thought of Kazuki as a friend, but he _needed_ to hear it from her own lips.

Kagome blew out her breath. "I didn't realize that we were giving off the wrong impression. Kaz is just a naturally touchy feely type of person. I guess after being around him for so many years it just rubbed off on me too." She shook her head ruefully. "Quite honestly, I don't even notice anymore when he does it. He's my _friend_," she reiterated, "nothing more."

He gave her a calculated look as he took in her flushed face. "Are we done talking now?"

Kagome stopped, indecisive, her pulse beating erratically.

InuYasha took that as a 'yes'.

He pounced.

In that split moment right before he reached her, Kagome decided to be caught.

After 500 years, the hanyou finally reclaimed what was rightfully his.

-x-x-x-x-

Dawn was breaking out, chasing the night shadows away as the drapes fluttered gently in the air. Kagome Higurashi was warm, inside and out, as the morning light peeked through the horizon. A slight breeze danced through the open window, gently caressing her bare body.

She was draped lazily over InuYasha, her dark tresses cascading over them like a curtain. She was idly tracing patterns on his wash-board stomach as he gently stroked her back. Wrapped in the afterglow of love making, Kagome didn't want to break the tranquility they were currently engaged in, but there was something she had to say — things she had to explain. "InuYasha…"

"Hmmm…"

"You know, when I first took the job —"

"It's okay, Kagome," InuYasha interrupted. "I told you, I read the files. I know why you took it."

Kagome curled her fingers on his chest and bit her lower lip. "I need to explain, so just hear me out, okay?"

InuYasha cupped the back of her neck, holding her against his chest. "Okay," he murmured before he placed a chaste kiss on her head.

"When Takumi first offered me the job, I said no. I didn't — I didn't want to leave you. I said no at first, but then — then Takumi showed me the project that they were working on. All those babies with primary immune deficiency diseases… There were so many life-threatening infections and debilitating disorders… There were cases — so many cases — of infant hanyou deaths." Kagome paused and licked her dry lips. "The percentage was so high… all those babies, all those families torn apart… If I had stayed — if we had a baby…" Kagome drew a deep breath as tears threatened to blur her vision. "It c-co-could have b-been u-us."

Sadness radiated off Kagome's slender frame and engulfed InuYasha in its grief. He felt her tears trail onto his chest as her body heaved against his.

InuYasha closed his eyes and tightened his arms around her. "Don't cry, Kagome. You know I can't stand it when you cry. It's okay. It'll be okay." He held her and whispered reassurances in her ear until she got her emotions under control and her breathing became even again.

Gently disentangling her limbs from his, Kagome pushed herself onto her elbows and looked down at InuYasha through tear-filled eyes. "I'm sorry, InuYasha. I'm sorry for not trusting you enough to tell you the truth — for moving away and never explaining why I did it. I'm so sorry for hurting you."

Reaching up, he cupped her face and gently stroked her cheek with his thumb. "It's okay, Kagome. All the hard work you've done and everything that you've accomplished has saved so many lives. You've helped so many families. I'm so proud of you."

"But it cost us so much. I'm sorry for the way things turned out. If I could change things —"

InuYasha leaned up and captured her mouth in his, effectively stopping her words.

"Would you?" He asked a minute later.

"Huh?" Kagome looked at him, desire replacing the tears in her eyes.

Chuckling lightly, InuYasha slowly raked his hand through her hair. "Would you change this?" Not waiting for her to answer, he continued, his voice rough with emotion, "Kagome, I'm a better man for you now than I was then. You can't change the past. I wouldn't want you to. We had to let each other go and find our own paths. We had to lead our own lives. We're both older now and we're in a better place. Now that our paths have crossed again, we can have a life together."

Never in her wildest dreams did Kagome imagine that, yes, she could have it all — the best of both worlds.

He gave her a sardonic grin. "It's my fault, you know. I'm so sorry for so many things, Kagome. I'm sorry for not believing in you and for giving you that ultimatum in the first place. I tried to make you choose because I didn't understand. It was my damn pride talking. Then I was such a fool and believed things that I shouldn't have. I'm a baka."

Lightly tracing the outline of his mouth with her fingers, Kagome gave him a sweet smile. "Yes, InuYasha, you are a baka, but you're _my_ baka," she said before she gently replaced her fingertips with her lips.

-x-x-x-x-

"You weren't really jealous of Kaz, were you?"

"Dammit, Kagome, do you really have to mention that bastard's name in bed?"

Looking coyly at him, she lightly traced her fingers along his chest. He grasped her hand before it reached his ticklish side.

Smiling playfully at him, she teased, "InuYasha, I can't believe you thought the rumors were true."

"Keh."

"InuYasha?" Kagome waited until he looked at her. "You _do_ know that you have nothing to be jealous about, right?"

She looked so earnest that he had to smile. "I know."

A mischievous glint came into Kagome's eyes as she straightened up and put her palm against the beat of his heart. "Do you know what everyone says about _you_?"

At InuYasha's blank look, Kagome said saucily, "They say that Yash Takahashi is quite the catch. Devilishly handsome and business savvy, he's got rugged charm and so much sex appeal that it would drive even Aphrodite mad with lust."

She trailed her finger along his collar bone, stopping to lightly trace the rosary warm against his skin. Looking up, she gave him a sultry smile. "And do you know what I think?" She waited until he shook his head before leaning in close to whisper against his lips, "I think that they're _right_."

InuYasha held her gaze for several long moments. Then he slowly reached up to bury his hand into her hair and held her in place as his tongue snaked out and skimmed her bottom lip. He caught Kagome's groan in his mouth. He parted her lips and gently pulled at her tongue, lightly teasing and sucking.

He moved to slide Kagome beneath him, his hair draped over her naked body like a silver waterfall.

She whimpered below him as he trailed sensuous nips along her jaw line and stopped to whisper huskily in her ear, "Drive Aphrodite mad with lust, huh?" before he teased her with a flick of his tongue.

Her skin was hot against his mouth, and Kagome moaned as she reached up and fondled his ears, sliding her fingertips up and down the silky appendages with slow, sensual movements.

His body was hard and solid against hers as scorching heat threatened to engulf the both of them.

She released his ears and, fisting her hands into his hair, she pulled him up so that his face was centimeters away from hers. "You drive _me_ mad with lust." Her low, seductive laugh was cut short as InuYasha's mouth molded against hers in a fierce, hungry kiss.

-x-x-x-x-

The phone rang.

Jerking with a start, Kagome woke up and looked out the window at the sunlight streaming into the room.

"Kami! I didn't realize how late it was. I need to call Kaz." Kagome moved up off of InuYasha and started to rise. She didn't get very far as she was suddenly grabbed and flipped onto her back with a very naked and sexy hanyou straddling her hips, effectively pinning her body to the bed.

Taking her hands, he laced his fingers through hers and raised their arms over her head. He leaned down until his nose touched hers. With his breath hot on her lips, he growled, "Fuck Kaz."

At Kagome's cheeky grin, he quickly amended, "I didn't mean _literally_."

"Oh," she purred seductively up at him, a wicked gleam in her eye.

She arched her back — producing a groan from the hanyou — before lifting her hips slightly to grind against his pelvis.

He locked his mouth on hers, demanding that she part her lips for him. She complied, her breath coming in short raspy pants as he ravished her mouth with relentless passion.

When InuYasha moved his mouth to suck the hollow at the base of her throat, she breathed out, "Then who should I _fuck_?"

He gave her a low, possessive growl as he lifted his head up. His eyes were hooded and his voice was low and throaty as he leered down at her. "I'll _show_ you."

Leaning in, his breath hot and heavy on her collarbone, he proceeded to do just that.

-x-x-x-x-

"Why didn't you tell me about the butterfly youkai?"

InuYasha didn't answer. Instead, he pulled Kagome against him, spooning her back against his chest. Holding her warm body to his, he nuzzled her neck.

"In-InuYasha… don't distract me."

Her only answer was a claw languorously trailing up her thigh, leaving goose bumps in its wake before stopping on her bare stomach to draw slow, idle circles. Tingling sensations coursed through Kagome as she arched her spine against him, her body tense with desire.

A low chuckle sounded in her ear as the husky voice purred, "Is it working?"

"N-n-no."

"Liar."

-x-x-x-x-

Kagome pushed herself into a sitting position and made sure that she was out of arm's reach before she blurted out, "Butterfly youkai."

InuYasha sighed. Persistent little thing, wasn't she? He moved and watched with amusement as Kagome scampered to the edge of the bed. What did she think he was going to do? Distract her again? Hmmm… not a bad idea. He grinned.

"Okay, stopping grinning like you're going to eat me."

"What if I said I was?" He got onto his knees with his weight on his hands. He watched her through his fall of bangs — his muscles tensed, ready to spring at her.

"InuYasha…."

If she had been able to see his eyes though the silver veil, she would have been prepared when he suddenly sprang at her.

"Ackkkkk!"

Kagome found herself sitting on his lap, straddling his hips with her arms pinned to her sides.

"No fair, InuYasha. You play dirty."

She could practically feel his leer as he said, "You want dirty? I'll show you dirty." He teased her as he dipped his head and sensuously licked her neck.

"You _were_ going to tell me, right?"

The hanyou stilled. _No_.

"InuYasha?" she asked tentatively when he didn't move.

Lifting up his head, he blew the bangs out of his face. "I meant to tell you. In the beginning…"

"Why didn't you?"

_Shit_. _What_ _do_ _I_ _say_? "Because, having you back in my life and seeing you every day again, I liked it. I was… just being stupid. My judgment was clouded, and as the days went by, well, it got harder to tell you."

He sighed and rested his forehead against hers, his breath tickling her face. "I'm sorry, Kagome. I wasn't trying to sabotage the project. I did tell Sesshomaru about it. That's why he invited you to dinner. You got the hint though, isn't that what counts?"

"Hmmm… So you were indirectly responsible for me seeing the light?"

"Ah…. sure?"

Kagome's giggle turned into a breathless moan as InuYasha lowered his head and grazed his fangs gently across her breast.

"Ah…. I-I can't think with you doing that."

"That's the point," he murmured against her skin.

"Kami, InuYasha. You're not going to talk about this, are you?"

The hanyou stopped and looked up. His eyes skimmed over her face before he slid his gaze away. "There are things I can't say right now, Kagome. You just have to trust me."

"I always trust you."

A shadow crossed his face as he turned and looked directly into her eyes. "I-I don't want you to hate me."

Reaching up, she soothed away the hair from his face and cupped his cheek lovingly. "I love you, InuYasha. I could never hate you."

He leaned into her touch, warm and inviting on his skin. His expression was serious and his eyes unreadable as he said softly, "Kagome. Forgive me."

Kagome planted light, feathery kisses — butterfly kisses — all over his face, soothingly, lovingly. "InuYasha, I'd forgive you anything."

-x-x-x-x-

Hours later, Kagome awoke to moonlight flooding the bedroom. She listened to the slow, steady pulse vibrating against her cheek as she lay in the protective arms of the man she loved — pressed against his heart.


	14. Ruby Red for My Love

Disclaimer: InuYasha is owned by Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan Inc. and Viz Media. I also don't own Gor-Tex (well, just the jackets, not the company). Story and all original characters created are owned by me.

**Chapter 13: Ruby Red for My Love**

-x-x-x-x-

_Hours_ _later_, _Kagome_ _awoke_ _to_ _moonlight_ _flooding_ _the_ _bedroom_. _She_ _listened_ _to_ _the_ _slow_, _steady_ _pulse_ _vibrating_ _against_ _her_ _cheek as_ _she_ _lay_ _in_ _the_ _protective_ _arms_ _of_ _the_ _man_ _she_ _loved_ — _pressed_ _against_ _his_ _heart_.

-x-x-x-x-

_H__in_-_karakarakara_. The haunting bird song of the Japanese sparrow warbled throughout the forest as the sun shone brightly overhead in a vast expanse of cerulean blue. The quiet serenity of the deep woods was suddenly interrupted by the hum of a sports car engine as it raced its way towards Tokyo.

"Kagome, will you stop staring at me?"

Kagome giggled at InuYasha's chagrin look. "I can't help it. You're just so cute when you're human."

"Keh." A slow, heated blush appeared on InuYasha's face.

"You blush a lot more when you're human."

"Kagome…"

She grinned as she ignored his warning and continued to admire his profile. Dressed in a button down sport shirt and dress pants, InuYasha wasn't cute; he was downright sexy. Granted he was sexy in any form, hanyou or human, on any given day, but put him in the driver's seat of a Porsche Carrera GT convertible with the top down and his hair whipping around his shoulders, and he was damn sexy indeed. _Attractive_, _alluring_, _erotic_, _titillating_, so damn _hot_ … these racy thoughts flashed through Kagome's mind as her arousal grew.

Reaching out, she grasped a lock of his black hair and slowly twirled it around her fingers in a slow, provocative manner. "You're pretty hot, InuYasha."

InuYasha slanted her a look and smirked. "Keep that up, Kagome, and we'll never reach the city," he warned.

Kagome's uninhibited laughter filled the air as she reluctantly let go of his hair. Taking a deep breath to control the exhilaration of her heart, she turned her attention to the passing scenery.

They had left InuYasha's place five minutes ago, and it was already past noon. They had a hard enough time leaving the bedroom, much less the house, but somehow they managed to get dressed and finally made it into his garage. When InuYasha started to usher Kagome into his car, she had stopped and wishfully looked at his motorcycle parked beside it.

He adamantly refused to take his bike, no matter how much she pleaded and cajoled. Although, for an instant, he almost gave in when she turned her doe eyes on him and her lips went full pout. Then reasoning came back and he shook his head. He refused to let her on his bike without any proper shoes and certainly not in the pair of sandals that she had borrowed from him — sandals she could barely keep on her petite feet.

InuYasha had jokingly offered to let her ride something else, and instead of the smart retort from her that he expected, she turned amorous eyes his way. Well, that was all the encouragement he needed. In the end, they didn't leave the garage until thirty minutes after they had entered it. The motorcycle didn't end up moving, but it did take them for a ride, with InuYasha laying on the bike seat with his back to the handlebars and Kagome straddling him. In the end, Kagome got her ride on the bike, just not in the way she had originally intended. Nevertheless, it was one _helluva_ ride.

Kagome arched her back and yawned. Her thoughts turned to her pretty cocktail dress, now a pile of black and white rags in InuYasha's living room. _And_ _I_ _only_ _got_ _to_ _wear_ _that_ _once_. She sighed and buried herself deeper into the jacket she was wearing which smelled like its owner: earthy and masculine.

InuYasha couldn't keep the silly grin off his face. He had Kagome back in his life. _His_ Kagome. He was just so damn happy. He had the woman he loved beside him, and he wasn't going to let her go — not this time. His brow furrowed at the thought. No, he won't lose her again. He would do anything to keep Kagome — _anything_.

He slanted a look at her. If it wasn't for the drawstring on the sweatpants she borrowed from him, the pants would have pooled at her ankles. As it was, they still hung low on her hips no matter how tight she cinched them. The oversized white t-shirt, the smallest one he had, hung on her and his grey hoodie literally dwarfed her small frame. She was adorable.

InuYasha continued to watch her out of the corner of his eye as she snuggled up in his hoodie like it was a blanket. He suddenly had the overwhelming desire to be that jacket, wrapped around her body. _Damn_, _now_ _I_'_m_ _jealous_ _of_ _my_ _hoodie_.

His eyes narrowed with concern as she shifted uncomfortably against the red leather seat. "You okay?"

Kagome turned and gave him a bright smile. "Yes, I'm fine. I never felt better." The truth was that she was tired — more than a bit sore — but she was so blissfully happy.

InuYasha turned his head and their eyes met — warm caramel brown with smoky grey. A slow smile graced his lips, and Kagome couldn't help but stare at his full, sensuous mouth. She watched as the smile curved into a smirk.

"I don't care how sore you are. Keep looking at me like that, and I'm stopping this car right now."

For one split second, Kagome was tempted to take him up on his offer. With a two-seater convertible, the possibilities were endless and downright enticing. Stifling a sigh — she _was_ getting pretty sore — she reluctantly tore her gaze away from his mouth and looked up at his bemused expression.

He quirked a brow at her as if he knew what she was thinking.

A slight pink tinged her face. Shaking her head slightly, she turned her attention to the notebook and pen that lay on her lap, trying to ignore InuYasha's husky chuckle.

InuYasha surreptitiously watched Kagome for a few more minutes as she bowed her head over the notebook, her face scrunched up in concentration. "What are you doing?"

Kagome absently tapped the end of the pen against the notebook. "Hmmm… I'm just making a list of supplies that I need to take with me."

"What's on the list?"

As Kagome went through her notes, InuYasha listened intently, nodding and interjecting suggestions. He perked up when she mentioned ramen. "Make sure you pack a lot of ramen. I mean _a_ _lot_."

Kagome giggled and looked thoughtfully at her list. "I have so much to take with me. How am I going to carry it all?"

He flicked a glance at her. "Don't worry, you'll have help."

Kagome stared at InuYasha, but he kept his eyes straight ahead. "How long do I stay in the Feudal era?"

"Ah… why do you ask?"

Kagome didn't notice the slightly guarded tone of his voice and shrugged. "I need to know what to pack and how much time I have to get the youkai DNA back."

"One week," Yash said quietly as thoughts churned in his mind. _One week_.

"Oh. Then I can take a small refrigeration unit. It'll have to be battery powered…" Kagome's mind wandered to the supplies that she would need to extract and store the DNA. Perusing through her list again, she didn't notice the frown appear on InuYasha's face.

The hanyou was lost in thought as memories, long buried and forgotten, surfaced. _It_'_ll_ _take_ _us_ _two_ _days_ _to_ _get_ _to_ _Sango_'_s_ _village_ _and_ _another_ _two_ _days_ _to_ _the_ _butterfly_ _colony_. _It_ _took_ _us_ _longer_ _to_ _get_ _there_ _because_ _of_ _that_ _thunderstorm_ ...

"Pack that Gor-Tex jacket of yours. It's waterproof, right?"

"It is," Kagome answered absentmindedly.

"Take those fleece clothes that you have. It's going to rain a lot, and it'll be cold at night."

"Hmmm… okay."

_We_ _have_ _that_ _run_ _in_ _with_ _the_ _cranes_…

"Where's your bow?"

"At Mama's."

"Don't forget to take that and extra arrows."

"Okay."

_Then_ _we_ _drop_ _Shippo_ _off_ _at_ _the_ _Kitsune_ _Temple_...

"Pack some paint brushes."

Kagome looked up surprised, but didn't even question that statement. "Oh, okay. I was going to take crayons. Should I bring some paints too?"

"Make them watercolour paints. He really gets into that and starts experimenting with his colours." He paused and then said, "Forget the crayons. Take some pastels instead."

Kagome nodded and wrote down '_art supplies for Shippo_'.

_Miroku_ _and_ _Sango_ _come_ _back_ _with_ _us_ _to_ _the_ _village_ _and_ _that_'_ll_ _take_ _another_ _three_ _days_. _It_ _was_ _late_ _afternoon_ _when_ _we_ _got_ _there_. _We_ _used_ _Kaede_'_s_ _old_ _hut_ _and_ _it_ _was_ _cold_ _because_ _we_ _had_ _to_ _start a_ _fire_ _right_ _away_ … InuYasha suddenly tightened his grip on the steering wheel as a thought occurred to him. "Shit!"

Kagome looked up in alarm. "InuYasha, what's wrong?"

"Kagome, when are you planning to go through?"

"Ah – it won't take me long to gather my supplies. Kaz can get all the lab supplies together while I go shopping for the rest. It should only take a day to get ready." She lowered her brows in concern. "Why? What is it?"

A deep sigh escaped the hanyou and he said evasively, "I just remembered something that I have to do." Glancing at her, he said, "Kagome, gather the supplies that you need, but don't do anything else. Don't go through the well yet."

Worry lined her face. "No, I won't — "

"Good. Don't tell Sesshomaru just yet either. Wait until I get back, and I'll go with you to talk to him."

"What's going on, InuYasha?" she blurted out.

InuYasha turned and took in her bewildered expression, and his gaze softened. "Kagome, just trust me, okay? Don't worry. It's just something I need to do. I'll drop you off at your apartment and you can get changed. I'll meet up with you later, and we can talk, okay?"

Kagome nodded, but concern still clouded her eyes. She caught her lower lip between her teeth as she stared at him.

"Everything will be all right," he reassured her. His mouth lifted into a tender smile as he reached over to take her hand, raised it to his lips, and placed a gentle kiss on the back of it. His voice was soft with emotion when he said, "I love you."

Kagome's breath caught in her throat as she looked at him. The tension was slowly easing out of her. "I love you, too."

Not letting go of her, InuYasha curled his fingers around hers and rested their hands on his lap. They were still holding hands as they pulled into the parking lot a few minutes later.

Stopping in front of the apartment building, InuYasha slid out of his seat and walked over to open the door for Kagome. As soon as she stepped out of the car, he pulled her into his arms and brushed his mouth softly against hers. "I'll see you later."

Kagome tugged at his locks and pulled him closer for a deep, lingering kiss. They broke away a few minutes later, breathless. "Okay, see you later."

InuYasha caressed her cheek gently, and with a parting look he turned and got back into his car.

Kagome watched as InuYasha maneuvered the titanium coloured roadster out of the parking lot and sped away. She continued to stand there moments after the car left her sight.

-x-x-x-x-

Yash put the aerodynamics of his sports car to good use as he sped through the streets of Tokyo. Parking in front of an affluent brick building in the downtown core, he went straight into a corner store. This was the only establishment that he trusted for his personal items. After all, the owner, Yoshikazu, was a former pupil of Totosai, the famed swordsmith who forged Tessaiga. Yoshikazu had learned the ancient art of craftsmanship from Totosai and had put that talent to good use, branching out from sword making to other more modern items over the centuries.

After describing to the proprietor exactly what he wanted, and paying extra for the expedited delivery, Yash was assured that his purchase would be delivered in two days.

Sighing with relief and clutching his receipt, he leisurely strolled back to his car and drove back to the Takahashi building.

-x-x-x-x-

Kagome paced the inside of Yash's office, glancing worriedly at the wall clock. _It_'_s_ _been_ _over_ _two_ _hours_, _where_ _the_ _hell_ _is_ _he_? Her mind churned with apprehension as she waited anxiously for him to return.

The door opened and the hanyou walked in.

"InuYasha! Where have you been?"

"I had something to do," he said vaguely.

"Well, I knew that. Where _were_ you?" Kagome demanded, confusion radiating off her slim body.

He shrugged and walked over to this desk. He leaned against it and crossed his arms and ankles. "It was just an errand."

Kagome sighed and bit her lip. When InuYasha was being evasive, there was no way to get him to talk — he was just too stubborn. From his stance and the way he shifted his eyes away, she could tell that he was hiding something from her. She had a feeling she knew what it was: the very same thing that was bothering her all afternoon. She didn't know how to broach the subject. Finally, she said, "InuYasha, stop being so stubborn and talk to me."

She looked at him imploringly, mentally begging him to say something. When he just stared at her through his bangs, she took a deep breath. _Stubborn_ _hanyou_, _fine_, _I_'_ll_ _start_. She began hesitantly, "InuYasha, when I go through the well… Miroku and Sango will be there… and you…"

InuYasha held his breath. He knew what she was trying to say, and he knew he couldn't avoid the subject anymore — they were running out of time. Weighing his words carefully, he said, "Kagome, listen to me. When you go through the well, it'll be the last time you'll ever see Sango and Miroku. You have to say good-bye."

Kagome licked her lips. "Say goodbye? I-I don't go back?"

"No," InuYasha said softly, trying to cushion the pain he knew she would feel.

Kagome closed her eyes briefly. Deep down, she knew that this would be the last time she would cross the well, but hearing the confirmation from InuYasha's lips was hard to bear. Taking a deep breath and slowly exhaling, she tried to calm the turmoil curling in her stomach. "Oh… o-okay… and you, InuYasha… what about you? D-do I… do I say goodbye to you?" Her throat went dry as she thought about the implications of going back through the well for the last time. She watched InuYasha stiffen, and she searched his face for any clues of his emotions.

InuYasha gave a ragged sigh and looked away. "I'm going to try to convince you to stay…." His voice trailed off, then continued a little more than a whisper, "But you can't stay. You have to leave."

Straightening up, he went to stand in front of her. He placed a finger under the chin and turned her face upward to look at him. His voice became stronger and more purposeful as he said, "You can't stay. Do you understand me?"

At Kagome's blank stare, he repeated more forcibly, "Do you understand me?"

She nodded numbly.

"Kagome, I mean it. You have to let me go in the past, so that we can have a future together here in the present. Do you understand?"

"But… but…" Kagome trailed off, her eyes widening with comprehension and she gasped, "That's why you were so angry. All along, I thought it was because I had moved to Canada and left you, but that's not it at all. I came back through the well and left you again in the Feudal era." She swallowed the lump in her throat as hurt seeped into her eyes. "Why didn't you tell me?"

A knot settled at the pit of InuYasha's stomach at her wounded expression. He wanted to tell her the truth to erase the pain that he saw on her face, but he knew that he couldn't — not yet — and that fact weighed his heart with guilt.

He pulled Kagome into his arms and held her against his chest. "Kagome, I couldn't tell you. The last time I saw you was in the Feudal era, in my past. How could I tell you if it hasn't even happened for you yet? It's my past, but in reality, it's still your future."

"What did I do, InuYasha?" Kagome persisted tremulously, afraid to hear the answer, yet she had to know.

"I can't tell you."

"InuYasha!" Kagome wailed in his arms.

"Kagome, please," the hanyou pleaded. "I can't tell you because it might change the way you do things, the way you say things, and the way you'd react. And we can't change it because it'll change everything we have here and now."

Drawing a tattered sigh, Kagome shakily pulled out of his arms.

InuYasha reluctantly let her go and waited anxiously for her to look at him. He stood crippled by sorrow and guilt as he watched Kagome's shoulders slump with dejection. _Don_'_t_ _hate_ _me_, _Kagome_.

With downcast eyes, Kagome's lips began to quiver as she stammered, "I-I left you and I be-betrayed you, and you… you ended up h-hating me." Kagome began to weep.

"No, Kagome." InuYasha's voice was firm as he cupped her cheeks in his hands, soothing the tears away with his thumbs. He tilted her head up and looked into her eyes. "You didn't betray me. You _didn_'_t_. It was _me_. I betrayed myself. I'm so sorry, Kagome. I'm _so_ sorry."

He gathered her into his arms and held on tight, softly repeating, "I'm so sorry" into her ear.

She clutched at him until his words pierced through her tears. "W-what do you mean?"

InuYasha rested his cheek against her hair and closed his eyes. "For me to keep you in the present, I had to let you go in the past." His voice turned soft as he said, "How's that for irony?"

"Oh, InuYasha, this is all so confusing!" Kagome buried her head against his shoulder and tightened her arms around his waist.

Gripping her tightly in his arms, he whispered into her hair, "I know, this is so fucked up."

They stood there in silence, each trying to find strength in each other's arms.

InuYasha's chest heaved against her cheek as he drew a deep breath. She felt him place a kiss on her head before he said, "Kagome, promise me one thing."

"Anything," she muffled into his shirt, her emotions slowly getting under control in his warm embrace.

"Promise that you come back to me in_ this_ time. No matter how much my younger self pleads and begs you, you have to walk away. Just jump into the well and leave. Come back to _me_, Kagome. Do you understand?"

She looked up, tears still brimming in her eyes. "Oh, Kami, InuYasha, you're asking me to break your heart."

"Kagome, listen to me. It happened in my past, and I survived it. I'm here with you now. This is the way things are meant to be. We both needed to grow up. I couldn't love you the way I do now. I couldn't provide for you in this time, with no education and no skills. Hell, if I didn't live through the past 500 years, I'd probably still be walking around in my red haori."

Kagome giggled at the mention of his fire rat robe and was horrified at herself for finding humor in such a dire situation.

InuYasha, heartened by her giggle, persisted, "Is that what you want, Kagome? Me walking around wearing my red haori with Tessaiga on my hip, not being able to understand your time or provide for you and our family? Or do you want me now, 500 years later, part owner of the largest company in Japan who understands the time we live in?"

Kagome stepped back and lowered her eyes. Staring at his pristine black loafers, she moved her gaze slowly up his body. She took in his black pants that were snug enough to outline his muscular legs and the red shirt that sculpted his firm, taut chest. Unconsciously licking her lips, Kagome slowly met his amber gaze.

Yash smirked slightly at her. "Guess you want me now, huh?"

Kagome smiled through her tears. "I want you _any_ _time_."

-x-x-x-x-

The pair met with Sesshomaru with Kagome doing most of the talking, outlining her plan to go back to the Feudal era. Sesshomaru simply listened, interjecting a question now and then, but in the end he could find no fault with the course of action. He gave his approval. Kagome stated that she would be ready to leave at any time and shot InuYasha a questioning look when he told her — two days — give him two days.

-x-x-x-x-

They stepped out of the inner offices after their meeting with Sesshomaru. Walking out into the hallway, InuYasha noticed the temperature drop as he and Kagome walked past Amara's desk.

"Oh, Mr. Takahashi," cooed the wolf youkai. "Mr. Kato wanted to meet with you." She batted her eyelashes at the hanyou.

InuYasha felt Kagome tense up beside him. Slanting a glance at her, he felt cold fury radiating from her. _Shit_. His eyes narrowed perceptively as he gave a brief nod. "Thanks, Amara."

Lacing his fingers through Kagome's, he led her to the elevator and punched the button. As they waited, he turned to the woman standing stiffly beside him and startled her by pulling her against his chest. Holding her close, he gave her a reassuring grin and whispered softly enough to seem romantic, but loud enough to be heard by a youkai, "I love you, Kagome," before giving her a passionate kiss. He ended the kiss when he heard the chime of the elevator door.

Kagome stared up at him breathless, surprised at his sudden show of affection. She was in a daze as InuYasha pulled her into the elevator.

He smirked as, out of the corner of his eye, he saw the enraged look on the secretary's face.

Once inside the elevator, he pulled Kagome close to him. His one hand was pressed against the small of her back while his other hand raked through her hair. He lowered his head and began to kiss her again, gently at first and then deepening the kiss as he molded her body against his. They continued their make out session, giving the wolf youkai quite a show, before the elevator doors closed.

"Stupid, human bitch," growled Amara.

"I would be careful of what you say."

Amara shot straight up in her seat as Sesshomaru regarded her with narrowed eyes from the doorway. The inu-youkai continued, "I consider her a Takahashi, and I don't take kindly to any derogatory remarks made against my family. Do I make myself clear?"

Amara gulped and meekly nodded. "Yes, Mr. Takahashi. I'm so sorry, sir."

Sesshomaru regarded her with cold eyes. "I think it would be best if you were no longer working up here. Pack up your things, and report to the clerical division on level three."

"But —" She abruptly swallowed her words at the glare she was given.

"We will no longer require your services at the executive level." Sesshomaru turned to head back into the office. "And Amara," he waited until he had her full attention, "make sure that you treat Kagome with the utmost respect. If I hear otherwise, you will regret it."

With that the inu-youkai swept back into his office, leaving a very humiliated and humbled wolf in his wake.

-x-x-x-x-

Yash sat at his desk staring at the small box he held in his hand. Absently stroking the soft, smooth texture of the velvet, he finally opened the lid. A platinum ring sat in its center — the three perfectly cut rubies, flanked by diamonds on both sides, sparked bright under the lights. The ring was a feminine version of his own platinum transformation ring.

Yoshikazu had just delivered it that morning.

He picked up the ring and slowly twirled it around his index finger.

This was the root of his anger for so many years: the ring that was on Kagome's finger, sparkling bright by the fire in the Feudal era. Kagome's words echoed out through the centuries: _I_'_m_ _marrying_ _the_ _man_ _of_ _my_ _dreams_ … Who would have thought that she was talking about him?

_The_ _ring_ _that_ _symbolized_ _her_ _love_ _for_ _another_ _man_, _and_ _fueled_ _my_ _bitterness_ _and_ _despair_ _for_ _so_ _many_ _years_, _was_ _put_ _on_ _her_ _finger_ _by_ _my_ _own_ _hand_. He smiled ironically — such a little thing that had caused such unbearable grief.

He put the ring gently back into the case. He would give it to Kagome tonight. After all, she was planning to go through the well tomorrow morning.


	15. Paradox

Disclaimer: InuYasha is owned by Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan Inc. and Viz Media. Chasing Cars – Song by Snow Patrol. I do not own InuYasha or the song and I don't make any monies from this. Story and all original characters created are owned by me.

**Chapter 14: Paradox**

-x-x-x-x-

_He_ _put_ _the_ _ring_ _gently_ _back_ _into_ _the_ _case_. _He_ _would_ _give_ _it_ _to_ _Kagome_ _tonight_. _After_ _all_, _she_ _was_ _planning_ _to_ _go_ _through_ _the_ _well_ _tomorrow_ _morning_.

-x-x-x-x-

_Did_ _she_ _go_ _through_ _the_ _well_ _already_? _Fuck_!

Yash raced out of the building, his black boots pounding on the pavement as he leapt onto his motorcycle. Tires squealed and rubber burned as he pealed out of the parking lot. _He_ _had_ _to_ _reach_ _her_, _dammit_!

Earlier in the evening when he went down to Kagome's lab to meet her, he was told that she had already left. Thinking she was at her apartment, Yash hammered on her door only to be told by her roommate that she had already gone to the shrine.

With his heart pounding rapidly in his chest and the blood thundering in his ears, he raced to intercept her. He prayed that he wasn't too late.

-x-x-x-x-

Kagome silently slipped out into the courtyard.

Breathing deep, she closed her eyes and enjoyed the slight breeze blowing softly through her hair. Before she knew it, she was standing by the Goshinboku. The air whispered around her as she placed her palm against the ancient tree, trying to find comfort in its immemorial presence. Her solitude was suspended by the soft tread of footsteps.

"Kagome, are you all right?"

_Why_ _is_ _everyone_ _always_ _asking_ _if_ _I_'_m_ _all_ _right_? Kagome lightly dragged her hand against the rough bark as she turned to face her mother.

She tried to smile convincingly. "Yes, Mama, I'm fine."

Nori sighed. As a mother, she only wanted what was best for her children. She would lay down her life for them — to try to soothe every hurt and every heartache — and her beautiful, lovely daughter always had the weight of the world on her slim shoulders. How to help her hurts and to heal her heartaches when the wounds go so deep and so strong that they spanned centuries?

"When I go through the well tomorrow, he's going to be there, Mama." Her soft voice floated through the air.

Nori waited calmly for her daughter to continue. Experience had taught her that she couldn't push for answers, that they would come readily enough if bought by patience.

"After I complete my task, I-I have to leave him again. Oh, Mama, why is love so hard?"

Nori smiled indulgently. "Because if you didn't work for it, it wouldn't be worth it."

Giving her mother a small, sad smile, Kagome asked, "What should I do?"

"What does your heart tell you to do?"

"It tells me to love him."

"Then that's what you do."

A soft sigh escaped her lips as Kagome looked at her mother, her eyes shining with suppressed pain. "In order for me to love him, I have to break his heart."

Nori reached out with a warm and soothing hand and tucked a stray curl behind her daughter's ear. "His heart will heal. It _has_ healed."

Kagome reached up and grasped her mother's hand and held it in her own. "But he'll hate me for 500 years. How do I live with that knowledge?"

"What does Yash say about it?" Nori's voice was calm and soothing as only a mother's could be.

"He _wants_ me to break his heart. He says it's the way it _has_ to be, the way it _should_ be."

"He's right, Kagome. Trust in his love for you. If that is what fate meant it to be, it will be. It's your destiny."

Kagome sighed. "Do you really think it's fate?"

"Yes, dear. It always has been."

-x-x-x-x-

Kagome sat with her back to the Goshinboku, hours after her mother had left her. The sun had set long ago, casting dark shadows across the shrine. She leaned back against the rough trunk and wrapped her arms tightly around her legs. Tilting her head back she looked up at the moonlight that filtered down through the branches.

This was how InuYasha found her — by their tree. He let out a sigh of relief. _He_ _wasn_'_t_ _too_ _late_.

Kagome stood up and held out her arms as he raced to her. Grabbing a hold of her, he wrapped his arms around her waist and nuzzled his nose into her hair. He took pleasure in inhaling the rich, sweet scent that was inherently Kagome. He held her tight, grateful that he was in time. _It_ _would_ _be_ _all_ _right_.

-x-x-x-x-

They stood together under the Goshinboku tree.

They were back where they first met. They clung to each other, their steady heartbeats in unison. Each was afraid to let the other go as they found comfort where they stood.

After a while, he whispered softly in her ear, "I thought you had already gone through."

She looked up surprised. "I told you that I would go in the morning."

He gave her a lopsided grin. "I know. I was just worried. There's something I need to give you before you leave."

Resting his chin on the top of her head, he held her close, reveling in the feel of her, wishing that he could hold her like this forever. "Kagome, do you remember what I said about belonging together in this time, about you coming back?"

"I do," was the soft reply.

"We never knew where we belonged, the past or the future but," he pulled back slightly and looked deep into her eyes, "we know now. We belong in the _present_. Here, now," he swept back her bangs, cupping her cheek tenderly, "this is where we're meant to be. This is where I'm meant to love you."

Kagome nodded in agreement, but he detected the slight hesitation. His hand closed over hers as he brought it up to his lips. He brushed a gentle kiss on her knuckles before he pressed her hand against his chest and began to recite the speech that was etched into his heart.

"Kagome, those long years ago, when you freed me from Goshinboki, you not only freed my soul, you freed my heart. You've shown me what love really means. I have loved you for over 500 years and will continue to love you with every beat of my heart, with every breath that I take, and with my blood I will protect you until the ends of time."

InuYasha's whispery words resonated into the chambers of her heart, filling it with love and devotion, with _forever_. Kagome was lost in his eyes and didn't notice him bringing his other hand up to slip a ring onto her finger.

Her eyes widened at the sight of the ring on her hand that was still pressed against his heart — flashes of red and white sparkling in the moonlight.

Kagome drew in a deep breath and tears blurred her vision as she stared speechless at the ring on her finger.

It was a perfect fit.

"In my heart, you are already mine. Our destinies have always been intertwined. You belong to me, and I will forever belong to you. I give you this ring to symbolize my love. Three stones to represent all that we are, all that we are meant to be…"

-x-x-x-x-

Mama allowed them to sleep in her old room for old time's sake. Yash decided that he would just hold Kagome and give her any comfort that he could, but Kagome had her own ideas and initiated their lovemaking. It was slow and leisurely, each taking their time and savouring the moment as if they were both engraving the act into their memories.

_We_'_ll_ _do_ _it_ _all  
__Everything  
__On_ _our_ _own_

_We_ _don_'_t_ _need  
__Anything  
__Or anyone_

_If_ _I_ _lay_ _here  
__If_ _I_ _just_ _lay_ _here  
__Would_ _you_ _lie_ _with_ _me_ _and_ _just_ _forget_ _the_ _world_?

_I_ _don_'_t_ _quite_ _know  
__How_ _to_ _say  
__How_ _I_ _feel_

_If_ _I_ _lay_ _here  
__If_ _I_ _just_ _lay_ _here  
__Would_ _you_ _lie_ _with_ _me_ _and_ _just_ _forget_ _the_ _world_?

_I_ _need_ _your_ _grace  
__To_ _remind_ _me  
__To_ _find_ _my_ _own_

_All_ _that_ _I_ _am  
__All_ _that_ _I_ _ever_ _was  
__Is_ _here_ _in_ _your_ _perfect_ _eyes_, _they_'_re_ _all_ _I_ _can_ _see_

_I_ _don_'_t_ _know_ _where  
__Confused_ _about_ _how_ _as_ _well  
__Just_ _know_ _that_ _these_ _things_ _will_ _never_ _change_ _for_ _us_ _at_ _all_

_If_ _I_ _lay_ _here  
__If_ _I_ _just_ _lay_ _here  
__Would_ _you_ _lie_ _with_ _me_ _and_ _just_ _forget_ _the_ _world_?

They fell asleep in each other's arms with a promise of all tomorrows wrapped around them, like the well-worn comforter on Kagome's childhood bed.

-x-x-x-x-

She was standing at the edge — always at the edge. The abyss loomed up at her as she stared into the darkness.

"Come back to me, Kagome." The quiet voice echoed through the well house.

Kagome paused at the edge of the well, her eyes locked deep into her hanyou's. With a bittersweet smile, she jumped.

_See_ _you_ _on_ _the_ _other_ _side_, _InuYasha_.

-x-x-x-x-

Yash Takahashi stood there for a few moments looking down into the bottomless pit. Sorrow reflected in his eyes, and his heart ached with the knowledge of what was to come.

The last time he stood by the well with the woman he loved, he begged her to stay, and he couldn't let her go. Now, 500 years later, he had sent her away with his blessings. He didn't beg her to stay, and he _would_ let her go. The only difference was that she would come back to him.

He stood there for a few moments with his eyes closed and his breath even.

There was only one thing left to do.

He turned around and walked out into the shrine in search of Kagome's mother.


	16. The Power of Letting Go

Disclaimer: InuYasha is owned by Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan Inc. and Viz Media. Story and all original characters created are owned by me.

**Chapter 15: The Power of Letting Go**

-x-x-x-x-

_Yash_ _Takahashi_ _stood_ _there_ _for_ _a_ _few_ _moments_ _looking_ _down_ _into_ _the_ _bottomless_ _pit_. _Sorrow_ _reflected_ _in_ _his_ _eyes_ _and_ _his_ _heart_ _ached_ _with_ _the_ _knowledge_ _of_ _what_ _was_ _to_ _come_.

_The_ _last_ _time_ _he_ _stood_ _by_ _the_ _well_ _with_ _the_ _woman_ _he_ _loved_, _he_ _begged_ _her_ _to_ _stay_ _and_ _he_ _couldn_'_t_ _let_ _her_ _go_. _Now_, _500_ _years_ _later_, _he_ _had_ _sent_ _her_ _away_ _with_ _his_ _blessings_. _He_ _didn_'_t_ _beg_ _her_ _to_ _stay_ _and_ _he_ _would_ _let_ _her_ _go_. _The_ _only_ _difference_ _was_ _that_ _she_ _would_ _come_ _back_ _to_ _him_.

_He_ _stood_ _there_ _for_ _a_ _few_ _moments_ _with_ _eyes_ _closed_ _and_ _his_ _breath_ _even_.

_There_ _was_ _only_ _one_ _thing_ _left_ _to_ _do_.

_He_ _turned_ _around_ _and_ _walked_ _out_ _into_ _the_ _shrine_ _in_ _search_ _of_ _Kagome_'_s_ _mother_.

-x-x-x-x-

_**Feudal**_ _**Era**_

It all began here. Will it end here too?

Kagome stood underneath the Goshinboku tree. Was it only just a week ago that she stood at the same spot in a different time?

Her quest was almost complete. The DNA of the butterfly youkai was safely packed and stored in her backpack. She only had to say her good-byes now, to her friends — people she thought of as her family. Knowing what she had to do now, she couldn't face it, not yet…

She lightly traced the trunk of the old tree, making circular patterns against the rough bark. Kagome stood staring at the branches. Fate and destiny — it was all intertwined, wasn't it? Was it already written, their story? Did fate already set their destiny? The jewel, the hunt, the defeat, the love, the cycle, was it all just a pattern? If you broke one link in the chain of events, would it all fall down?

To be free to love in the future, she would have to do the hardest thing in her life: she would have to tell the man she so desperately loved to let her go. How could she do this? Would she have the strength to break his heart? Was this a test? A test to see if she could let him go? Let him go so that he could come back and love her?

Why is fate so cruel? The irony fell heavily on her shoulders and her knees buckled underneath its tortuous weight. She slumped against the roots, hugging the tree as if seeking answers.

She reached up and gently caressed the ring she had carried against her heart for the past week, dangling from a thin gold chain around her neck. She clutched at it and gripped the small band in her fist. It pulsated against the palm of her hand — a slow steady pulse, like the pulse of a warm heartbeat._ InuYasha_.

Slipping the ring off the chain, she slid the band onto her finger. Drawing a deep breath and squaring her shoulders, she went in search of her friends.

-x-x-x-x-

_**Back**_ _**to**_ _**the**_ _**beginning**_**…**

"Oh, Kagome, what a pretty ring!" Sango lifted up Kagome's hand, examining the metal band on her friend's finger. The three jewels were sparkling red from the glowing embers of the fire.

A movement at the doorway went unnoticed by both girls because they were so caught up in the moment of examining the pretty bauble.

Kagome flexed her fingers, her eyes sparkling as much as the stone. She smiled widely at her friend. "It's an engagement ring."

"Engagement ring?"

"It means that I'm getting married."

Sango couldn't contain the stunned expression on her face. "Married…?"

Kagome beamed, oblivious to the fact that she and Sango were no longer alone in the hut. "Yes, I'm marrying the man of my dreams. I'm so excited."

A loud gasp from the doorway made Kagome whirl around and face a shocked looking Miroku. She caught a swirl of red and silver as the bamboo mat fell back into place.

Miroku composed his features and stepped forward. "Kagome, you're getting married?"

"Yes. Miroku, I guess you heard?" Kagome looked anxiously around his shoulders. "I… um… InuYasha… I should go explain…" _Damn_, _why didn_'_t_ _I_ _sense_ _him_ _behind_ _me_? _I_ _need_ _to_ _talk_ _to_ _him_! Kagome brushed past Miroku, but his hand shot out to stop her.

"Let him calm down. From the look on his face, I'd say he was in shock at your news and, quite honestly, so am I. He's been waiting for you…" Miroku trailed off, a slight disapproving look on his face.

_What_?! _No_! "No, Miroku, it's… it's not like that. You don't understand…" Kagome's eyes shone bright with unshed tears.

Sango stepped up beside her friend and put a supporting arm around her. "Miroku, Kagome cannot help who she falls in love with. You are in love, are you not, Kagome?" She shot her friend a questioning look.

Hurt blossomed up Kagome's chest at her friend's inquisition. "Yes! Of course, I am. He's the love of my life!" _It_'_s_ _InuYasha_. _It_ _has_ _always_ _been_ _InuYasha_.

Sango softened her features as she noticed Kagome's discomfort. "I'm sorry, Kagome. I didn't mean it like that. It's true that InuYasha has been waiting for you, almost pining for you. It's been five years…" Sango didn't want to continue hurting her friend with the way the discussion was going, but Kagome had to know the truth.

"Oh, Sango, Miroku, it's not like that!" _How do I explain this to them_?

Miroku's interest was piqued. "What do you mean?"

"It's just so complicated!" Kagome gave into her tears as she broke down and sobbed.

Sango shot Miroku a distressed look as the monk heaved a sigh and gestured towards the fire and mat. Sango caught his gesture and nodded as she steered the distraught girl towards the center of the hut. She pulled Kagome down beside the fire as she prepared to boil some water for tea.

Miroku sat down on the other side of Kagome and waited until the girl's sobs subsided. As soon as her cries became mere hiccups, Miroku began to speak, "Kagome, we don't mean to upset you, but maybe it's better if you explained why it's so complicated?"

Kagome clutched her head squeezing her eyes shut, distraught at the thought of the hurt hanyou. "I have to talk to InuYasha. I have to make him understand!"

Miroku simply shook his head. "I think it's best to let InuYasha calm down. Knowing him, he's off fighting a few trees."

"All the more reason I should go to him!" protested Kagome as she started to move up off of the floor.

A hand on her shoulder gently but firmly pushed her down. Kagome shot a questioning look at Miroku, tears streaking down her pale face.

The Monk's face was solemn and firm. "Let him go."

Those three simple words shot an arrow through Kagome's heart. _I_ _have_ _to_ _let_ _him_ _go_, _so_ _that_ _he_'_ll_ _come_ _back_ _to_ _me_. Looking down at her clenched hands, Kagome softly confessed, "I already have."

Miroku raised an eyebrow and let the remark slide. Kagome would tell him and Sango when she was ready. "We are still your friends, Kagome. You can confide in us, and we will support you, no matter what."

Sango nodded her agreement and poured hot tea for the three of them before sitting down beside her grief stricken friend.

Kagome grasped her cup tightly as if seeking the warmth and comfort from the brew. Taking a deep breath she looked at her friends, not quite sure where to begin.

-x-x-x-x-

A few hours and many cups of tea later, Kagome emerged from the hut. She was drained and confused, and her eyes red and puffy from all of the tears that she had shed for InuYasha, her friends, and herself.

She told Sango and Miroku why she took the research job and explained the work she was currently doing. They had never questioned her on why she needed the butterfly youkai DNA in the first place. Kagome had just stated that she needed it, and they were happy to help out without question. They believed in her unconditionally.

_I_ _don_'_t_ _have_ _many_ _friends_ _that_ _would_ _believe_ _me_ _on_ _faith_ _alone_. Those words she uttered to Kazuki seemed like a lifetime ago. She almost choked on her emotions as the realization struck her that she was leaving behind two friends that _did_ believe her on faith alone. How do you replace friends like that?

_You_ _don_'_t_, her heart whispered.

She smiled as she thought of her friends who gave her such unconditional love and support. Sango and Miroku would have liked Kazuki, and Kaz would have loved them.

Kagome took comfort in the knowledge that her Feudal friends knew about her dilemma, and she trusted them implicitly that they would never reveal anything to InuYasha. They hugged, soothed, and reassured her that they would look after the hanyou.

Knowing that her friends were going to take care of InuYasha — take care of him until she could —gave her the strength to continue her course. She knew the sadness and bitterness that he would endure and prayed that their friends could help alleviate some of his pain. She had to trust them. She knew that he would feel the sting of rejection for the next 500 years, and this fact burned her soul with guilt. But what else could she do? This was the way it had to be. Any change in action and the future would shift, and how could she take that chance?

After a while, Miroku and Sango updated Kagome on their life in the slayer's village and regaled her with tales of their growing brood.

From Yash's descriptions in the future, Kagome knew that the village would thrive for many years. Long after Miroku and Sango departed the earth, their sons and daughters would pick up the gauntlet and invade the world with their determination, drive and foresight.

Yash had shown her a photo of one of their kin, a woman who looked remarkably like Sango. She lived on the east end of Tokyo as a lawyer, a public prosecutor, and much like her ancestors, she fought demons. Only this time, it was demons of a human kind.

Yash and Shippo had made it their decree to keep track of the monk and slayer's kin throughout the centuries. Even after their bodies departed from the world, their spirits and their blood would continue to live on.

As daylight faded to dusk, Kagome said her farewells to her dear friends. She clung to Sango and tearfully bid good-bye to the woman who was like a sister to her. "I love you, Sango."

Miroku pulled her to his chest, whispering softly in her ear, "Don't worry, Kagome. We'll take care of him for you. Live and be happy." Kagome swallowed the lump in her throat and simply nodded, hugging him back fiercely. _Good_-_bye_, _Miroku_.

She had already said her good-byes to Shippo the previous day, before he left for the Kitsune Temple. That parting was not as hard as it was now. She knew that she would see the kitsune again. That he would grow up to be a happy, well-adjusted young youkai who had the world at his feet. That she and Yash would be there for him and he for them. She looked forward to a future with _her_ men — the three of them: a family.

She had one more good-bye to say before she left — the hardest one yet. Rubbing her tired eyes, she heaved her backpack onto her shoulder. Making sure not to jostle the vials, she wearily started off towards the Goshinboku tree — where it all started and where it would all end.

_InuYasha_, _forgive_ _me_ _for_ _what_ _I_'_m_ _about_ _to_ _do_.

-x-x-x-x-

"InuYasha," Kagome's soft voice called out

InuYasha pressed himself closer to the branches. If he didn't come down, then she couldn't say good-bye, then she couldn't really go, could she?

When he didn't answer, Kagome begged as she tried to hold back her tears. "Please come down, InuYasha, please." _Please_, _InuYasha_. _Please_ _don_'_t_ _make_ _this_ _harder_ _for_ _us_. _Kami_, _please_.

The sharp tang of her tears hit his nose, and InuYasha cursed as he dropped down beside her.

Crouched in front of her, he looked at the woman standing silently watching him, her eyes red and swollen. _Why_ _are_ _you_ _doing_ _this_, _Kagome_? _I_ _thought_ _that_ _you_ _loved_ _me_. _Was_ _it_ _all_ _a_ _lie_?

Through the haze of tears, she stammered, "I-InuYasha, th-thank you for helping me get the butterfly youkai. Y-you didn't have to, and I'm gr-grateful for your help. I-I'm going h-ho-ome and I-I'm n-not… I-I'm not… I'm n-not co-coming b-back… I-I-'m g-getting m-ma-married, In-InuYasha…" Kagome could barely get the words past her raw throat as tears streamed down her face. _Oh_, _Kami_. _Shut_ _up_! _Shut_ _up_! _Shut_ _up_! _You_'_re_ _making_ _it_ _worse_! "I-I'm s-so s-so-sorry…"

His chest heaved painfully with heartache, and the breath lodged in his throat. But he had to ask. He had to know. "The man who gave you that ring — do you love him?"

Kagome heard his voice, but it was Yash's echoing in her memory. "_I_ _saw_ _you_ _sitting_ _with_ _him_ _up_ _in_ _the_ _Goshinboku tree_…" _He_ _saw_ _me_ _with_ _Kaz_ _and_ _he_'_s_ _asking_ _about_ _this_ _ring_ — _this_ _is_ _why_ _he_ _thought_ _I_ _was_ _marrying_ _Kaz_! _He_ _thinks_ _Kaz_ _gave_ _me_ _the_ _ring_!

_Oh_, _Kami_. Kagome pressed her hand against her mouth. _Don_'_t_ _ask_ _me_ _that_, _InuYasha_, _please_ _don_'_t_ _make_ _me_ _answer_ _you_. "InuYasha… please…"

InuYasha stilled as anguish shadowed his eyes. In a deathly tone of voice, raw with hurt and desperation, he rasped out, "Answer me, Kagome. Do. You. Love. Him?"

_InuYasha_, _you_ _gave_ _me_ _this_ _ring_. With unbearable agony, the word burning in her throat, Kagome choked out, "Y-y-yes…" _I_ _love_ _you_.

He reeled back in shock as if struck. _She_ _was_ _in_ _love_ _with_ _another_ _man_. Staring at her with disbelief and betrayal, his numb mind could not process the fact that she had no intention of ever coming back. She was leaving him _again_.

_I_'_m_ _so_ _very_ _sorry_, _InuYasha_. _I_'_m_ _so_ _sorry_. _I_'_m_ _so_ _sorry_. _I_'_m_ _so_ _sorry_. _I_'_m_ _so_ _sorry_. _I_ _wish_ _I could_ _tell_ _you_, _but_ _I_ _can_'_t_. _I_ _can_'_t_. _Forgive_ _me_. _Please_ _forgive_ _me_. Kagome slowly approached him, her heart aching painfully in her chest. When he did not move away, she hesitantly put her arms around his waist and hugged him with all her might. "I'm so sorry, InuYasha."

Her heart spoke the words that she couldn't say. _I_ _love_ _you_, _InuYasha_. _I_ _love_ _you_ _so_ _much_. _We_'_re_ _going_ _to_ _be_ _together_. _We_ _are_. _We_'_re_ _going_ _to_ _get_ _married_. _We_'_ll_ _have_ _a_ _family_. _We_'_re_ _going_ _to_ _be_ _together_ _forever_. _We_'_ll_ _be_ _happy_. _I_'_m_ _sorry_ _I_ _can_'_t_ _tell_ _you_. _I_'_m_ _so_ _sorry_. _I_ _love_ _you_. _I_ _love_ _you_. _I_ _love_ _you_ …

She chanted this mantra deep inside her soul. She clung to him trying to alleviate his pain. She could feel the desperation lacing through his body, and she trembled at the guilt.

He clutched at her, squeezing her body to his, holding onto her as if she was a lifeline and he was a sinking ship. _Kagome_, _how_ _could_ _do_ _you_ _this_ _to_ _me_? _To_ _us_? _Why_ _Kagome_, _why_? _I_ _love_ _you_. _Please_ _don_'_t_ _leave_ _me_. _I_'_ll_ _do_ _anything_. _Just_ _don_'_t_ _leave_ _me_. _Please_. _Please_. _Please_.

Suddenly he was pressing his lips against hers: urgently, passionately, and desperately. Kagome feverishly kissed him back, all rational thought flown from her mind. _InuYasha_ — _this_ _was_ _her_ _hanyou_, _the_ _one_ _that_ _she_ _loved_, _and_ _she_ _had_ _to_ _leave_ _him_ — _She_ _had_ _to_ _let_ _him_ _go_.

Gasping as she pulled to the surface of reality, she pushed him away, shaking her head. "No… No, I can't do this." Her voice shook with wretched emotion. "I have to go…" _Oh_ _Kami_, _I_ _can_'_t_ _do_ _this_! She tentatively took a step back, then another and another, until she was running, running to the well, away from the man she loved.

InuYasha stood in shocked silence, his body frozen and his feet betraying him as he watched her approach the well. "Kagome, don't go…"

Kagome paused with her back turned to the hanyou. Her head was hung low and her breath came out in ragged rasps. Clenching her eyes shut, she dared not to look at InuYasha, to see the desperation in his eyes that matched the despair she heard in his voice.

_How_ _do_ _I_ _do_ _this_? _How_ _do_ _I_ _just_ _leave_ _him_?

Summoning all of her strength, she opened her eyes, her gaze falling onto her hand that tightly gripped the edge of the well. The moonlight reflected off the red stones like blood on her fingers: a hanyou's blood.

Yash's words whispered up through to her from the other side of the well.

_Three_ _stones_ _to_ _represent_ _all_ _that_ _we_ _are_, _all_ _that_ _we_ _are_ _meant_ _to_ _be_: _the_ _past_, _the_ _present_… _the_ _future_.

_Come_ _back_ _to_ _me_, _Kagome_.

"InuYasha… you have to…" Kagome swallowed audibly, "You have to let me go."

She jumped.


	17. Come Back to Me

Disclaimer: InuYasha is owned by Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan Inc. and Viz Media. Story and all original characters created are owned by me.

**Chapter 16: Come Back to Me**

-x-x-x-x-

_She_ _jumped_.

Fate was cruel — hand in hand with irony. The two merged into one, and she was caught twisting in its tight embrace. Falling, falling, she was always falling… until arms reached out and caught her. Yash pulled the weeping girl into his arms. Holding her close, he whispered words of comfort and love. He soothed her soul, her heart, and her very existence. He was her anchor, her rock, which tied her to reality when she felt like she would drift away. He lifted her up with his love, his passion, and his very soul.

She looked up, confusion contorted her features. "InuYasha?"

He jumped.

Clutching the girl tightly in his arms, he scrambled out of the well. Slamming the lid shut, he barked out rapidly, "Now! Do it now!"

Kagome's frozen brain tried to grasp the rapid happenings. Flashes of blue and pink filled the air, then silence. _What_?! Her brain couldn't comprehend what her eyes were seeing.

Her mother stood at the well, paper slapping against the dry, splintered edges.

Comprehension slowly dawned on Kagome as her eyes transfixed with shock and grief. The well… Her Mama had sealed the well!

_No_! She cried out, sobbing uncontrollably, "M-mama, wh-why?"

Her mother looked at her, sadness radiating from her pores, her features taunt and apologetic.

Kagome clawed her way to the side of the well, ready to rip off the ofuda seals. She slapped at the hands that were tightly embracing her. Mad with grief, her mind couldn't assimilate the scene before her. All she could think of was that InuYasha, _her_ InuYasha, was trapped in the past.

She stilled as the arm around her stomach tightened and a low growl sounded by her ear. "Because I told her to."

_InuYasha_.

Her numbed mind processed what he had said.

_InuYasha_ _had the_ _well_ _sealed_.

Shocked immobility turned to disbelief as Kagome watched her mother quietly walk up the stairs and out of the well house. It took her a few moments to realize that the arms that had held her tight had dropped. The breath hissed through her lips as she slowly turned around and faced Yash.

His shoulders were slumped, and his hair fell in disarray around him as he stood silently watching her. His expression was inscrutable as his eyes fixed on her face.

The silence pulsated and stretched around them as they held each other's gaze. The fragile bond strained taut between them. With one wrong word or one wrong move, it would snap – shatter like a fragile jewel.

A look of grief stricken bewilderment crossed Kagome's face. Her voice was barely above a whisper as she asked brokenly, "W-why?"

"I had to seal the well. I – he… he was coming after you. I had to stop h-him… me." His voice cracked as he tried to explain.

The truth flashed through her like a lightning bolt hitting its target. Pieces, broken pieces, began clicking into place like a jagged puzzle. As comprehension dawned on her, the blood rushed from her face leaving her pale and drawn. She strangled on her tears. "T-t-that's w-why you h-hated m-me."

"I never ha –" He choked off his words as realization sunk in. He looked at her helplessly, not knowing what to say.

She stood silently, suddenly cold despite the dry heat of the well house. She shivered slightly and hugged her arms to her body. Her voice was shaky with effort as she tried to control her tears. "A-at the meeting, you were so m-mad at me. Now I know w-why. You thought _I_ sealed the well." A myriad of emotions crossed her face: confusion, despair, hurt, grief, betrayal. "Why didn't you tell _me_." The accusation in her voice hung in the air, vibrating around them.

The hanyou stood there stricken, his heart bruised and battered from the knowledge that he had hurt Kagome. Before her trip to the past, he had watched as she slumped under the weight of guilt and torment, and he couldn't do a damn thing about it. He had wanted so badly to tell her the truth before she left, but he knew that he couldn't. He couldn't tell her until the time was right, until she came back. He just hoped it wasn't too late.

InuYasha stood staring at the woman he loved. He would do anything for her; he _did_ do everything for her. All he wanted to do was to wrap his arms around her and erase the vulnerability that was radiating off her small frame.

It was time to ease her pain and to free her of all responsibility. It was time to take the guilt from her slim shoulders and put the blame where it truly belonged.

Squaring his shoulders he stood tall, ready to face the consequences of his actions. He found his voice, shaky but determined. "When you came back to the Feudal era, I was so happy to see you again. It was like old times… and then you showed Sango the ring, and I asked if you loved the man who gave it to you." A bitter laugh escaped his lips. "The ring _I_ gave you. Then I tried to come after you, and the well was sealed…"

He paused and grimaced in pain as he clenched his fists as his sides. His hands were like ice. After a few moments of laboured breathing, he looked at her, bleak and heart-sick. "Don't you understand, Kagome? It was never you. You never betrayed me. _I_'_m_ the one who gave you the ring. _I_'_m_ the one that you're going to marry. _I_'_m_ the one who sealed the well. It was _me_, me all along. I betrayed _myself_."

He desperately searched her face for any signs of forgiveness, but she remained passive. Her eyes burned into his, waiting… just waiting…

"I-I've…" His voice cracked, and he swallowed. Clearing his throat, he looked at her with eyes full of remorse. "I've lived with a lie for 500 years, and I put the guilt on your shoulders. I know saying sorry is not good enough… It'll never be good enough. What I put you through, the blame I placed on you…" His voice trailed off, and he inhaled a deep breath. "I couldn't tell you. I couldn't tell you until now. I love you, Kagome. I would have done anything to keep you. _Anything_. I-I don't regret sealing the well. I would do it again… I'm so sorry." His voice filled with penitence as his eyes pleaded for her to understand. _Oh,_ _Kagome_, _please_ _say_ _something_, _anything_.

Time stood still and Kagome's heart tightened as a kaleidoscope of feelings surged through her. Her chest heaved as she tried to control her breathing. She couldn't see through the whirlwind of emotions. She couldn't filter through her thoughts, and then…

"Kagome. Forgive me."

… And then…. his words slowly, ever so slowly, sunk in and touched her heart.

With tears in her eyes, Kagome looked up into the face of the man she loved. Staring into his amber gaze, the truth resonated in her heart. Everything that he had ever done was done to protect her. He was always protecting her, even from himself. This was the man she loved. This was her beloved hanyou, her InuYasha.

The unconditional love between them — a love that transcended time — that was so strong and so deep, flowed out of their hearts and hovered in the air. And then, like a gentle breeze, it swirled through the well house and wrapped around them like a cocoon. It lifted up the fractured pieces of their hearts and made them whole again.

Kagome slowly crossed the chasm between them. Stopping in front of him, she raised her left hand and pressed it against his heart. His pulse was strong and steady beneath her palm. A sweet smile graced her lips as her fingertips brushed lightly against his cheeks. "InuYasha, I'd forgive you anything."

A smile broke out onto his face then, like the sun breaking through the clouds, washing away all of the hurts and sorrows of the past five centuries. Looking down at the love of _his_ life, his eyes reflected what hers showed: there was no more pain, no more hurts, no more misunderstandings, and no more need for forgiveness. All was forgiven, by both of them.

Drawing her close, InuYasha tilted her head up and gently kissed away her tears. His breath, like his heart, was warm and tender against her. "Thank you for coming back to _me_. I will never let you go again, Kagome. I love you." His words hovered between their lips before his mouth captured hers in a deep, lingering kiss.

Kagome's heart beat rapidly against her chest, thundering in her ears like a drum until it found its rhythm; beating, beating in time to another drum, another heart, until the two hearts melted into one beat, one life, one soul. They stood beat to beat, heart to heart. Their souls interweaved as tightly and woven as a ring of promise, a never-ending circle — forever intertwined until there was no beginning, until there was no end.


	18. What Things Will Be

Disclaimer: InuYasha is owned by Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan Inc. and Viz Media. Story and all original characters created are owned by me.

**Chapter 17: What Things Will Be**

-x-x-x-x-

**Two months later**

Sesshomaru Takahashi was pleased.

The inu-youkai sat in his office with his elbows resting on his desk and his hands folded beneath his chin. He briefly skimmed the youkai scientific journal in front of him.

_Media Release from the Department of Youkai Sciences: The Takahashi Group once again demonstrated their leading status in youkai research. During its press release the Group announced its revolutionary new hanyou concealment charms. Sources state that production on the new charms will begin in ten months. However, the Group has yet to confirm this. The youkai community is ecstatic over the news and unofficial orders have been pouring in… _

Lightly tapping the desk with his clawed finger, Sesshomaru thought about the press conference that they had held three weeks ago.

Kazuki and Kagome had sat center-stage in front of the media as they demonstrated the new prototype concealment charm. Sesshomaru, Yash, and Gourou had been seated beside them providing additional support, but it was really Kazuki and Kagome's time to shine and they didn't disappoint.

The flashing of light bulbs and the barrage of questions did not fray the nerves of the two scientists as they calmly explained the new concealment technique. They effortlessly deflected and dodged any questions on how the charm was actually made. They would never divulge the fact that they were using butterfly youkai — youkai that had been extinct for over two hundred years. They fiercely guarded their secret and would continue to do so.

After two hours of intense scrutiny and questions, the conference ended and was deemed a success by the Takahashi Group's marketing department. As soon as the news was released to the youkai world, the accolades and acclamations had immediately begun pouring in. Production on the charms would begin early next year, but that fact did not stop all the unofficial orders and enquiries that came streaming in. Kagome and Kazuki's hard work and efforts had paid off — the Takahashi Group was once again at the forefront of youkai research and the two project chairs were recognized as the leaders in their field.

Shortly after the conference took place, Takumi Matsumoto had approached Sesshomaru with the news that he would be stepping down and handing the reigns to his eldest son. With Takumi retiring and Kazuki's older brother taking over the helm of the Matsumoto Corporation, Sesshomaru decided that it was time for some corporate restructuring, mainly the handling of the hanyou science division. After a meeting with the Board of Directors, it was decided that the main hanyou division be relocated to Japan leaving the Matsumoto Corporation to concentrate its efforts on other youkai studies.

Kagome, of course, was offered the position of lead research chair of the new division. Her initial enthusiasm waned when she discovered that the department had been designed for _one_ project leader. She had pleaded with Yash that she could not run the lab by herself and that she desperately needed a partner. He had suggested a number of good scientists, much to her chagrin. Yash knew _exactly_ whom Kagome wanted, but he wouldn't budge. In fact, he had told Sesshomaru, in private — out of the miko's hearing range — that "no fucking way is that bastard going to work with _my_ Kagome anymore. Ship him back to Canada."

Sesshomaru had merely let Yash rant his frustrations. He figured that Kagome would be able to change his baka brother's mind. He was right in his assumption as the very next day, the hanyou surprised him when he came into his office and grudgingly agreed to make an offer to Kazuki. Kagome had stood beside Yash with a wide smile gracing her lips.

Sesshomaru had briefly wondered exactly what Kagome had promised Yash to get him to change his mind. His curiosity was further piqued when Yash had turned to Kagome and said that she could start paying him back by going for a ride later. Now why she blushed so much when Yash mentioned a ride on his motorcycle was beyond Sesshomaru.

He shook his head and turned his thoughts to yesterday's meeting and how the negotiations had taken place — or had almost _not_ taken place.

Kazuki working for the Takahashi Group almost never came to pass as the two hanyou nearly came to blows during the meeting. Yash had declared in threatening tones that while Kazuki could work with Kagome, there was no way in hell that he could _touch_ her. Sesshomaru had actually rolled his eyes as Yash adamantly stated: _touch Kagome and die_. In which Kazuki promptly laughed out loud and said that he could touch his lab partner _any time_ he wanted.

Sesshomaru could barely contain his brother as the snarling hanyou lunged at Kazuki. Kagome glared at her research partner and punched him in the shoulder to stop his laughter and taunting remarks. The two hanyous then commenced to engage in a war of words. Finally exasperated, Kagome had quietly, but firmly, made a comment to effectively shut the both of them up.

Sesshomaru had silently contemplated whether or not it was such a good idea to have the two hanyou working so closely together — although he trusted the miko to keep them both in line. What did Kagome say the problem was? Ah, yes, "Male testosterone in overdrive. Worse, Male _hanyou_ testosterone in overdrive."

Sesshomaru flicked a glance at the employment contract that sat next to the journal. Kazuki had signed it just that morning.

He leaned back and rested his elbows on his black leather chair. An audible sigh escaped his lips.

_Yes, life at the Takahashi Group will be interesting indeed_.

Sesshomaru Takahashi sat in the solitude of his office and with no one around to see him, he did a very rare thing — he smiled.


	19. A Friend's Gift

Disclaimer: InuYasha is owned by Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan Inc. and Viz Media. Story and all original characters created are owned by me.

**Chapter 18: A Friend's Gift**

-x-x-x-x-

_**Feudal **__**Era**_

"Shippo, I entrust this to you. You must keep this somewhere safe," the monk instructed the young kitsune.

"Don't worry, I will. The Kitsune Temple will be the perfect place to hide it."

The kitsune gently pawed the bone box. Looking up, he asked curiously, "Why can't I see it?"

The monk sighed, "You have to promise not to tell InuYasha." He gave the kitsune a pointed look. "You must promise. If he sees it before he's ready, it will drastically alter the future."

Shippo held up his one hand, looking earnestly at his friend. "I promise, Miroku. You can count on me! I won't tell. I promise on my kitsune honour."

"Very well," Miroku conceded. "It is a wedding present for InuYasha."

"A wedding present?!" squeaked the startled kitsune. "Who's InuYasha marrying?"

Miroku stared at Shippo, deliberating how much to tell him. Finally, after a tense moment with the kitsune looking hopefully up at him, he opened the box, allowing the light to dance off of the fine demon bone plaque that lay inside.

Shippo read the inscription and sucked in his breath. Looking up with wide-eyes, he caught Miroku's hard glance and his firm words. "Do you see why we must stay silent?"

"Yes, Miroku," Shippo breathed in awe, the truth weighing heavily on his young shoulders. He hesitantly reached out a hand and outlined the carving lovingly engraved by the monk.

Miroku studied the young kitsune.

Shippo's head of bright red hair almost reached Miroku's shoulders, and his slim, angular frame showed signs of promised strength and agility. His eyes shone bright with intelligence and maturity. The young kitsune was not so young any more; he had grown up. A few more years at the Temple and their _little_ Shippo would be a Kitsune Master.

_Yes_, _it_ _was_ _time_ _to_ _divulge_ _the_ _secrets_. _It_ _was_ _time_ _to_ _pass_ _on_ _the_ _knowledge_ _and_ _the_ _responsibility_. _It_ _was_ _time_ _Shippo_ _knew_ _the_ _truth_.

"No matter what, you must not interfere. You must never reveal what you know. Not until the time is right."

"When the time is right? What do you mean?"

Contemplating his words carefully, Miroku said, "One day you will be summoned and your presence will be needed. Heed the call."

"Who…?"

"Sesshomaru."

Shippo's eyes widened with trepidation and a fearful expression appeared briefly on his face. He dropped his head and sagged his shoulders as he internally struggled with the knowledge given him. Then, just as suddenly, a transformation took place. The young kitsune straighten his spine and stood tall. With a determined glint in his eyes, he looked directly at Miroku and solemnly declared, "I will do what I have to."

Miroku nodded approvingly at his words.

Shippo had lowered his gaze onto the box again, but as the faint scent of tears reached his nose, he looked up startled.

Smiling wryly, the monk hastily swiped at his eyes and laid a hand on the kitsune's head. "I envy you, my friend, for having the chance to witness their love. Just make sure that InuYasha opens it _after_ his wedding day and not one day sooner," he instructed before closing the lid and sealing it; a seal that would not be broken for another 500 years.

"I will," promised the kitsune.

The slight breeze carried to them a well loved voice.

"Ah, dear Sango is calling. Let us find our dinner, young friend, and we will talk."

Miroku placed the bone box by the doorway. Shippo would take it with him when he left for the Kitsune Temple the next day.

Together, the monk and the kitsune headed outside into the dying daylight.

The box made of demon bone, so lovingly crafted, was made to house an equally exquisite plaque. Both would survive the ravages of time. Once open, the plaque would sit in a place of honour in the household of the ones it was dedicated to and read lovingly every day:

A soul without love  
A body without breath  
A heart without a beat  
To live without is to not live at all

~ InuYasha and Kagome ~  
Live and be happy  
~ Miroku and Sango ~


	20. Epilogue: Love Makes the Ride Worthwhile

Disclaimer: InuYasha is owned by Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan Inc. and Viz Media. Story and all original characters created are owned by me.

**  
Epilogue**

-x-x-x-x-

**Love doesn't make the world go 'round.  
Love makes the ride worthwhile.**

There was one thing bothering Yash Takahashi: the fact that he saw _his_ wife in _their_ tree with _another_ _man_. He just couldn't get that image out of his head, so he decided that it was time to erase that particular memory and replace it with one of his own. He took Kagome over to her mother's for dinner, and Mama smiled knowingly at them. Once dinner was over, he excused the both of them.

He led a protesting Kagome out into the night air. She fussed and complained about being tired and not wanting to walk. He teased her about her lack of balance.

She huffed and objected. After all, she thought she did pretty well considering she was seven months pregnant.

He carefully leaped up into the Goshinboku with Kagome in his arms.

The young woman protested slightly, but trusted in her husband. She knew he would never let her fall.

He settled back against the tree and cuddled Kagome on his lap, one arm resting around her waist, the other lovingly rubbing her stomach. The gentle heartbeat of their son resonated reassuringly through the thin, cotton material. He sighed contently. All was well. _His_ wife who was pregnant with _their_ child was on _his_ lap in _their_ tree.

Kagome leaned her head against InuYasha's shoulder. Comfortable and sated, she absently winded a strand of his hair between her fingers. "You know, InuYasha, there's a saying…"

"Hmmm…." The hanyou mumbled a non-committal reply. He was too busy nuzzling her and placing light nips and kisses along her neck.

"If you love someone, set them free. If they come back to you, it was meant to be." Kagome had her eyes closed as she savoured the warm lips moving across her skin, but she slowly opened them as she said, "You came back to me, and I came back to you, so it was meant to be, don't you think?" Her voice was filled with all the love that was in her heart.

Lifting his head, InuYasha smiled tenderly down at her. The moon reflected the love in his golden gaze. "Silly wench, what do _you_ think?" he asked huskily before he caught her lips in a soft, sweet kiss.

-x-x- _The_ _End_ -x-x-

* * *

A/N: Well, that's the end of my very first fan fic. Honestly, I never meant to write one, but this story was just rattling around in my mind, itching to get out, and I'm so glad that it did. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I know the ending was a bit cliché, but what can I say? I'm a real romantic at heart, and there was no other way this could have ended for me.

A great BIG THANKS to everyone who took the time to leave a review and/or added my story to their favourites. Thanks so much for reading!


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